Tsipras to defend his government's record in Parliament

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will face off Monday in Parliament with New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the aftermath of last month's unpopular Eurogroup deal and the garbage collectors' strike, which was arguably his government's first serious crisis on the domestic level.

The premier's task of defending his leftist-led government's record will be further hampered by disappointing rates of approval, as indicated by recent polls. The latest survey by the University of Macedonia on behalf of Skai TV showed that the popularity of ruling SYRIZA continues to slide, dropping to 15 percent, and lagging behind the main opposition conservatives on 18.5 percent.

With nothing to show, other than the boost the economy will get with summer tourism season, Tsipras has essentially nothing to fall back on, even though his government has tried to cultivate a narrative...