After Brussels: Tsipras faces challenge in trying to impose EU-dictated ‘medicine’

The battle to save economically-shackled Greece has left the halls of Brussels as controversial reforms are brought to Greek Parliament. Bleary-eyed Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met with a selection of SYRIZA deputies on Monday night to come up with a plan to sway radical left coalition (SYRIZA) MPs to accept the most draconian measures imposed on a sovereign nation since World War II. The deal is likened to the 1919 Versailles treaty and has already prompted the onslaught of SYRIZA MPs opposing the neoliberal deal that is the complete opposite of what the people voted for in a July 5 referendum and what the leftist party supposedly represents and promised.

Former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis told Australia’s state broadcaster, ABC: “This has nothing to do with economics. It has nothing to do with putting Greece back on the rails towards recovery.” Varoufakis merely echoed what most Greek people, especially vulnerable groups, already believe as the deal has terms harsher than the ones they rejected in a referendum on July 5.

Back in Greece, Tsipras is determined to pass the legislation dictated by Brussels to Greek Parliament through fast-track procedures within 24 hours. Any changes within the SYRIZA party, such as an expulsion of those opposed to a deal with creditors from his own party of which he no longer has the majority is not a priority. Nor does a cabinet reshuffle seem likely over the next few hours.

At this stage, Tsipras has avoided the notion of a national unity government. Support for Wednesday’s vote from Greece’s pro-Europe parties will come when the timing is right, but it makes sense for those parties to want Tsipras to bear the political cost of capital controls.

Two factors that Tsipras needs to bear in mind:

– Independent Greeks (ANEL) leader Panos Kammenos, a junior coalition party member with the government, expressed his opposition to the new deal however said he would remain in the coalition. ANEL MPs are convening on Tuesday to debate the terms of the Brussels agreement and come up with a unified position.

– Dissent from the Left Platform of SYRIZA for agreeing to an 86-bn-euro lifeline to avert a financial meltdown but continue with austerity reforms in a non-viable agreement that they believe will only worsen the situation in the long-run.