'Macedonia' rally puts heat on coalition despite PM's effort to downplay impact

Even though the leftist-led government has publicly sought to downplay the significance of Sunday's "Macedonia" demonstration in Athens, several party officials have reportedly acknowledged in private conversations that its sheer size is simply too hard to ignore.

Although estimates about the size of the demonstration varied between 120,000 and a million, it is considered one of the biggest in recent years.

Analysts have suggested the rally, which was staged to express opposition to a deal that will allow the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to use the term "Macedonia" in its name, could have a bearing on the government's negotiations with Skopje.

However, according to statements emanating from Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's office, the political fallout from the demo is manageable and will not impact Athens's stance on the issue.

Furthermore, the...