Meimarakis Targets Upset Over Tsipras in Greek Election

Greece’s snap election, called by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras before stepping down, will be held on 20 September.

New Democracy leader Meimarakis said Tsipras had “brought destruction in this country”.

He said chances of To Potami and the socialist PASOK party, also polling around 5 percent, entering government had increased.

Evidently intent to fight Tsipras over every inch of ground, the taller Meimarakis complained during the debate that the balanced side-by-side shots of the two leaders were stealing his height advantage over his rival.

Discussing the issue of his government’s turn to Russia, China, Arab countries and Iran to explore cooperation prospects during the stormy marathon negotiations with IMF/EU lenders that eventually ended in Greece’s third painful bailout since 2009 this summer, the Leftist leader stressed that his government was not after funding to repay loans, but investment opportunities.

The survey included the preference of undecided voters who, along with those intending to abstain, comprise up to a fifth of the electorate, according to some polls.

Tsipras, for his part, called on Greeks to give him a new mandate, declaring that the choice was between “SYRIZA, which represents the many, and ND, which represents the few”.

“We have radical differences on key issues”, he said.

Prospects of a grand coalition between the parties, hitherto one of several options, faded as Meimarakis said Syriza was welcome to join New Democracy in an alliance but ruled out sharing power with Tsipras.

Both Syriza and New Democracy admit the necessity of implementing reforms linked to the new bailout but disagree on who will do it in the most efficient manner.

But Tsipras is campaigning on a pledge to keep pushing creditors to improve the bailout deal. Meimarakis accused Tsipras of betraying promises to end austerity.

“The government of Tsipras sent the message that he doesn’t want businesses to come here”, Meimarakis said.

Despite the criticism, analysts say Tsipras remains popular with voters, with many accepting his argument that another painful bailout was the only way to stop Greece defaulting on its massive debts.

Meimarakis, 61, said his party intended to apply the terms of the bailout for a year before seeking to amend some of the terms.