Second Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras

A parliamentary committee tasked with probing possible political interference in the Novartis investigation was forced to cancel a planned session on Thursday after two leftist SYRIZA MPs who had been barred from the panel turned up and refused to leave. 

Greek MPs have approved a government bill aimed at easing pressure on the Aegean islands by speeding up asylum procedures and returns of migrants not meriting international protection to Turkey.
The bill was backed by MPs from New Democracy and the center-left Movement for Change alliance. SYRIZA, the Greek Communist Party (KKE), Greek Solution and Mera25 voted against.

Leftist opposition leader Alexis Tsipras on Thursday accused the conservative administration of "making a mess" of the immigration crisis, while also saying that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis indulged in far-right populism on the issue before coming to power.

Main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras on Friday appeared sceptical over a government plan to facilitate the voting rights of Greeks living abroad, saying the diaspora should not be used in "petty games of party expediency."

The office of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is arranging a series of meetings to take place in the next few days between the prime minister and the leaders of Greece's opposition parties for a discussion on whether Greeks living abroad should vote in national elections and how this would be best carried out.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described a proposal submitted by main opposition SYRIZA on the vote of diaspora Greeks in general elections as "deeply offensive," saying it treats them as "second-class citizens."

Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday discussed with the European Union's Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager a new government legislation that aims to replace the head of the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC).

The word most frequently used by Greeks to describe their new government is "weird." That is not meant pejoratively. Instead, it describes the unusual speed and specificity with which Kyriakos Mitsotakis has taken to the job of prime minister. What people mean is: "This is really weird for Greece."

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' conservative government won a vote of confidence Monday following a three-day debate on the administration's policy statements.
A total of 158 MPs backed his government while 142 voted against it.

It will take a couple of months before we see what kind of style SYRIZA plans to adopt in its reprised role as the country's main opposition party. For the time being at least, it appears willing to cut some slack to the new government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.