Greek voters decided on Sunday (20 September) that Alexis Tsipras and his far-left Syriza party should be the ones to continue carrying out bailout-required reforms which they initially opposed, in an election that echoed the ballot which catapulted Tsipras to power in January.
With 99.5 percent of the votes counted, Syriza emerged as the big winner with 35.47 percent. Voter turnout was 56 percent. Syriza will now re-enter the Greek parliament with 145 seats, only four less than its landslide victory almost nine months ago.
“I feel vindicated because the Greek people gave a clear mandate to carry on fighting inside and outside our country to uphold the pride of our people”, Tsipras said at a victory rally in Athens.
“In Europe today, Greece and the Greek people are synonymous with resistance and dignity, and this struggle will be continued together for another four years”, he added.
Right-wing Independent Greeks secured 10 seats, which means Tsipras can continue the coalition government he led until he resigned and called for elections last month. Tsipras called the elections after Syriza was losing MPs that were unwilling to back the bailout deal the prime minister negotiated.
The deal involves the Greek government carrying out austerity reforms, despite Syriza’s initial election promise to end such measures, which have been a heavy burden on the Greek people.
The splinter party that formed from disillusioned Syriza MPs, Left Platform, led by former energy minister Panayiotis Lafazanis, was unable to pass the threshold needed to gain any seats at Sunday’s election.
