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Friday, August 14, 2015

Tsipras could become the leader Greece needs – if he can survive politically

In accepting the latest bailout package, the Greek prime minister has incurred the wrath of many in his own party. His welcome pragmatism may cost him dearIn times of crisis, leadership is vital – and no country is now experiencing as much of a crisis (at least in the financial sense) as Greece. But its leader, prime minister Alexis Tsipras, who previously held no government position whatsoever, and took power at the relatively young age of 40, has yet to prove himself. In fact, the true test of his leadership is only just beginning.This may seem like a strange, almost counterintuitive thing to say about a man who has led Greece in the midst of an almost existential crisis for the past eight months. But now is the time when Greece, and the EU, will find out whether Tsipras truly has what it takes. Up until now he has been little more than negotiator-in-chief with Greece’s creditors and – given that his party Syriza was forced to renege on all of its promises to fight EU-required austerity – a pretty bad one at that. Continue reading...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com