Greek PM warns hardliners with snap vote to approve reforms

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday said he would hold early elections if hardliners in his party continued to resist an unpopular new bailout deal that promised debt relief.

“If we do not have a parliament majority I will be forced, we will be forced to hold elections,” Tsipras said in a two-hour interview with Sto Kokkino radio. He added that under the terms of the EU-IMF agreement signed on July 12, Greece after November could expect a reduction of its huge public debt in addition to up to 86 billion euros ($ 95 billion) in funds, following a first assessment of reforms.

Tsipras faces strong resistance from a sizeable faction of his leftist Syriza party that rejects the new bailout as contrary to the government’s anti-austerity promises. In response, the 41-year-old premier has called for an emergency party congress to confirm the government’s strategy, adding that this would “to a great extent” determine whether early elections will have to be held to take the country forward.

“I would be the last person to want elections if I had a guaranteed parliamentary majority on a plan to complete (my) four-year term... That includes completing the (rescue) programme,” he said.