Leftwingers see Tsipras as a sell-out, but many Greeks will feel sympathy for their broken prime ministerThe Alexis Tsipras who appeared on Greek television to resign yesterday night was very different from the one who raised his fist to ecstatic crowds in Athens seven months ago; who marched in a jaunty open-necked shirt to claim his mandate from the president; and who stood alone with his hand on his heart before the memorial to left resistance fighters shot by the Nazis. He was different too from the sober man who spoke honestly last month about the bailout deal he had brought back from Brussels, the deal he didn’t believe in but felt he had to accept rather than cut his bankrupt country off from external support.This week’s Tsipras looked exhausted, drawn, white under the pancake makeup; he sounded uncertain, and stumbled once or twice over his words. His speech was wooden, an election broadcast, trying to put the deal in the best possible light, pleading for people’s support because “the best is yet to come”. Related: Greek bailout: Alexis Tsipras steps down to trigger new elections The knives are clearly drawn between Tsipras and what was, until recently, Syriza’s left wing Continue reading...
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