Greek PM Alexis Tsipras will face his internal, mostly far-leftist, party opposition and a reluctant right-of-center junior coalition partner this week as his government tables an agreement worked out under the most tenuous of circumstances with European creditors.
Following the Greek delegation’s return from Brussels, the rest of the day was spent in meetings by Tsipras’ top aides and ministers, with the main questions raised revolving around the timetable for tabling the draft laws emanating from the cash-for-reform agreements; a government reshuffle and the possibility of a sizable number of leftist SYRIZA MPs not ‘toeing the party line’ and rejecting the agreement.
Another issue generating widespread speculation is whether Tsipras will bypass a mere reshuffle and form a coalition government with the pro-agreement opposition, ND, Potami and PASOK parties.
At least 20 SYRIZA MPs, all on the party’s extreme leftist wings, who did not vote for the government’s latest proposal towards creditors – voted on before Tsipras and the Greek side headed to Brussels for negotiations – are viewed as negative towards the final agreement.
Another distinct political “thorn” for the government is the stance of outspoken Parliament President Zoe Konstantopoulou, who voted “present” on Friday and who has been sharply criticized by the opposition and even accused, by unnamed government officials, as trying to delay the vote on the proposal.
A Tsipras-Konstantopoulou meeting is scheduled before Wednesday’s vote, with the premier’s team expected to ask for assurance that the latter will not attempt to block the voting process. Otherwise, media speculation was rife in Athens that Tsipras may use a “no confidence” vote against her, a development that could essentially lead to the partial breakup of the ruling party and immediate formation of a new coalition government.