Greek Politics
Coalition back-and-forth over name deal belies election strategy
Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos was insistent on Wednesday that there is no need for the coalition to seek a qualified majority in Parliament for the approval of the Macedonia name deal, thereby dismissing the request made by Independent Greeks (ANEL) leader and Defence Minister Panos Kammenos.
Kammenos claims approval of name deal a make-or-break moment for coalition
Defence Minister Panos Kammenos has prompted a new round of speculation about the coalition’s longevity after suggesting that he would pull his Independent Greeks (ANEL) party out of the government over the Macedonia name issue.
No bounce for Tsipras in poll as cracks appear in centre-left
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is hoping that he can win back the support of islanders affected by the refugee flows over the last few years but the latest opinion published in the Greek media suggests that much more will be needed for SYRIZA to revive its fortunes.
High level of opposition to Macedonia name deal seems to boost New Democracy’s ratings
New Democracy shows no signs of letting up in its criticism of the government over the Macedonian name deal, which has received strong backing from European officials but is proving to be highly unpopular within Greece.
Tsipras and Mitsotakis take messages abroad but face disquiet at home
Although Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his rival Kyriakos Mitsotakis have been focusing their efforts on impressing audiences abroad, developments at home have been attracting almost all the attention.
Loss of MP upsets coalition plans to build on positive momentum
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had been hoping to build on the positive momentum of the recent Eurogroup agreement this week but instead his government is trying to fend off speculation about whether it will collapse.
Coalition majority trimmed further after unexpected loss of ANEL MP
The coalition lost another MP on Tuesday, when Independent Greeks (ANEL) deputy Giorgos Lazaridis unexpectedly announced that he was quitting the party in the wake of the Macedonia name deal.
![Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]](resources/toolip/img-thumb/2014/08/18/zappeio_myrto_1808-medium.jpg "Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]")
Tsipras aims to capitalise on debt deal as election talk is revived
A special gathering of the two coalition parties’ parliamentary groups on Friday marked the beginning of the government’s effort to capitalise on the debt relief deal with the lenders and the imminent exit from the third programme.
Coalition sees key targets met in debt deal but opposition has holes to pick
The Greek government appeared satisfied with the debt relief package secured at Thursday’s Eurogroup in Luxembourg, an agreement that ensures Greece’s medium-term funding needs will be kept to a minimum.
Name deal set to be key factor in determining lifespan of SYRIZA-ANEL coalition
Although differences between coalition partners SYRIZA and Independent Greeks (ANEL) over the Macedonia name deal show no signs of abating, the government is making it clear that these different views will not trigger a premature end for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s administration.