Tsipras: Syriza will win elections in the first round, to form a strong progressive government

Speaking to journalist Antonis Sroiter, Tsipras said he believes “in a government of progressive collaboration that will be a government of winners.” He asserted that opinion polls, which still show Syriza lagging behind ruling New Democracy, “are no longer a safe forecasting tool, especially when opinion polls themselves tell us that a 20% of the population decides last minute” whom to vote for. He said that a key factor was whether young people – with whom Syriza is highly popular – will go vote.

The main opposition leader did not exclude a coalition with PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL) leader Nikos Androulakis, and reiterated his belief that Syriza will come first in the first round of elections “to form a strong progressive government of a long horizon.” He also criticized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for refusing to hold a debate with him and for not announcing the date of elections yet.

In terms of home owners who have defaulted on their loans, Tsipras said Syriza will bring back the protection of the primary home, especially for weak and vulnerable citizens. “We will establish a regulatory framework – you can’t have servicers who have bought a loan at 15% of its value require 100% of it” back, he said.

In addition, the party leader said, Syriza will deal with profiteering, which costs 3 billion euros annually. “Excessive profits for the public coffers, from indirect taxes, exceeds 4 billion euros. Why does Mr. Mitsotakis keep these? Why can’t he give some bonuses (to the public), that end up at supermarkets and large companies instead,” he asked.

Tsipras also underlined that when Syriza was in power (2015-2018), the government was ruling jointly with Greece’s lenders, as had previous governments. “Therefore, you cannot compare this period with that of the (loan) memoranda. An economy cannot grow with bonuses,” he said, criticizing recent government announcements. “We need a viable and stable development, and we want to grow the pie so that we have the option of a redistribution of income,” the Syriza leader said.