Politics
Stalled troika talks stretching Greek coalition cohesion to limits
The lack of progress in Greece’s talks with the troika and the possibility that the government will not clinch an agreement for a secure exit to its bailout at the end of the year is increasing tension within the coalition.
Probe into LAOS leader could spark contest for party's voters
The future of Giorgos Karatzaferis, the leader of the ultranationalist Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS), has been but in doubt after it emerged that he is a suspect in a bribery case involving military equipment.
Tsipras bolsters ties with Europe’s rising leftists but also looks beyond
For the last couple of years, SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has described what seemed like a leftist pipedream: The uniting of left-wing political forces on the eurozone periphery. Now, he is at the forefront of trying to turn this into reality.
Education dispute opens up new front for coalition at sensitive time
Already plagued by a series of problems, the government has found itself fighting on another front over the past few days due to a conflict over the handling of the tertiary education system.
SYRIZA shows keener interest in foreign policy as possible elections near
Seeing the government close to buckling under the pressure of having to meet the troika's targets, SYRIZA's Alexis Tsipras chose to inflict his own kind of pain on Wednesday, when he claimed that a leftist government would not be bound by the demands made by Greece's lenders.
Troika piles pressure on coalition by insisting on key actions to conclude review
The size of the government’s task in concluding the current troika review within the next few weeks was revealed on Tuesday, with 19 prior actions – many of which entail major reforms – still having to be completed.
Cairo Declaration inches Greece closer to hydrocarbons goal
Greece, Cyprus and Egypt sealed on Saturday a significant agreement to enhance their cooperation, including in the all-important energy sector.
Greek coalition left with bailout exit conditions it wanted to avoid
Eurozone finance ministers have agreed that Greece should be given a precautionary credit line when the European part of its bailout is completed at the end of the year but the new agreement will entail new conditionality, a role for the International Monetary Fund and debt relief talks being put at the back burner – all factors that the coalition wanted to avoid for domestic reasons.
No prospect of compromise for entrenched Greek parties
There will be no meeting of political leaders in Greece to discuss bailout exit plans, debt relief or anything else despite a spate of meetings between party chiefs and President Karolos Papoulias, the only figure that has the authority to convene such talks.
Samaras and Tsipras prepared to go toe to toe all the way to February
In true pre-election mode, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and SYRIZA’s Alexis Tsipras attempted to outdo each other on Monday after they each held separate talks with President Karolos Papoulias, the figure who has found himself at the centre of political developments in Greece.