Tsipras Returns as Greek PM After Renewing Coalition with Nationalists
Southeast Europe | September 22, 2015, Tuesday // 13:14| views
Greek SYRIZA party leader Alexis Tsipras attends his swearing ceremony as new Prime Minister, conducted by the country`s President Prokopis Pavlopoulos (unseen), at the presidential palace in Athens, Greece, 21 September 2015. Photo: EPA
The leader of SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras, was sworn in as prime minister of Greece on Monday after his left-wing party won the most votes at the early parliamentary elections held on Sunday.
Thus, Tsipras assumed the position for the second time this year after he had previously won early elections in January.
Earlier on Monday, Tsipras met the leader of the right-wing Independent Greeks (ANEL), Panos Kammenos, to conclude the agreement on the formation of a cabinet.
The cabinet, which is expected to be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday, will be most likely composed of ministers, who had served under the previous SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government.
Tsipras officially assumed office from caretaker prime minister Vassiliki Thanou in a short handover ceremony.
He assured that the key commitment of the new government would be to lead Greece out of the five-year economic crisis.
As regards the migrant crisis affecting Europe, Tsipras said that a collective effort is needed, daily Kathimerini quotes him as saying.
According to reports, Tsipras will create a position at the level of deputy prime minister responsible for coordinating the actions of the government in implementing the reforms required by the third bailout agreement.
It is expected that caretaker finance minister Giorgos Houliarakis, who led the Greek negotiating team in Brussels in the past months, will assume this position.
At the last elections, SYRIZA obtained 35.4 % of the votes, winning 145 seats in parliament, while ANEL got 10 MPs with 3.6 % of the votes.
Thus, the coalition government will have the support of 155 MPs in the 300-member Hellenic Parliament.
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