Excluding the Nazi party, four leaders met with the Prime Minister. The discussion lasted several hours but no concrete result has been achieved. As was predicted, Tsipras attempted to secure the support of the opposing parties in his effort to pass the latest package of prior actions. The new bill is expected to be particularly “heavy” on pensions and national insurance and the PM is, rightly, concerned that his meagre majority will not be enough.
The four leaders came to the meeting stating beforehand that they would not offer their support for policies that he has signed, particularly since he has repeatedly accused the other side of being “traitors” when, in the past they were legislating as per the creditors' demands.
Sources close to the government talk about a very tired and pessimistic Tsipras who is planning to “blackmail” his opposition by suggesting that unless they vote, then the government will have no power to stand up to the creditors' proposals.
The opposing parties, on the other hand, seem decided not to support the new bills as they see no reason to bare all the negative political cost. The accusations that they are bound to hear from the government; that they are supporting the national effort to stay in the Eurozone seem rather comical so close to the times when the rhetoric of Syriza where for the exact opposite course of action.
C.N.