The former Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras and the chances of winning the elections

2023-05-18 20:08:13, Kosova & Bota CNA

Former Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras

This Sunday, general parliamentary elections are held in Greece. About a month ago, at the request of Prime Minister Mitsotakis, the country's president dissolved the parliament and called early elections on May 21, just a few months before the official end of the government's mandate, in July. Mr Mitsotakis' main challenger is former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The following material takes a look at his efforts to bring the left-wing Syriza party back to power.

The head of the Greek left party Syriza and former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is seeking to regain power in the general elections held this Sunday, May 21.

Mr Tsipras first came to power in 2015 when he was just 40 years old, becoming one of Greece's youngest prime ministers.

Now he is aiming to return to power, accusing his rival Mr Mitsotakis of being responsible for many of the problems facing Greece.

" He failed to cope with the crisis related to inflation, for the second year in a row prices in supermarkets are unaffordable, food prices have increased by 14%. It widened inequality by hitting the working class ."

Educated as a civil engineer, he became involved in left-wing politics as a student. At that time he was a member of the communist youth. Mr. Tsipras became the leader of Syriza in 2008 and a year later was elected a member of the Greek parliament.

As prime minister, he opposed the austerity measures and the aid program of 240 billion euros, offered by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, which caused, according to him, a humanitarian crisis in Greece.

After months of heated debate with other eurozone countries, Mr Tsipras was forced to accept restrictions that guaranteed capital controls, then held a referendum on a financial rescue package, asking Greeks to reject it. The Greeks did so, but then Mr. Tsipras was forced to accept another offer, with tougher terms, to keep Greece in the euro zone.

During his time as prime minister, in 2018, Greece ended a long-standing dispute with North Macedonia over the latter's name.

Mr. Tsipras has criticized the government of Mr. Mitsotakis over the way of handling inflation and has declared that his Syriza party will increase wages and pensions, as well as protect workers.

" The Greek people, with their vote, can put an end to this four-year mandate of deception, indifference, arrogance that has harmed ordinary people ."

He has promised that if he wins the elections, in the first 50 days in power he will increase the monthly minimum wage to 880 euros, starting from July 1, 2023, as well as restore collective labor agreements.

Likewise, his party has promised to reduce the working hours per week, from the current 40, to 35, as well as to immediately increase public sector wages by 10%.

In January of this year, Mr. Tsipras presented a motion of no confidence in the parliament against the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, related to a wiretapping scandal.

" For the last six months, Greek society has lived in the midst of an unprecedented scandal ," said Mr. Tsipras, while presenting the no-confidence motion, which Prime Minister Mitsotakis managed to survive./ VOA