Second Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras

Confronted with an apparent stinging defeat in today's European Parliament election, the government is arguing that the result is not the strategic defeat of the ruling party that main opposition New Democracy and the centre-left Movement for Change had called on voters to deliver to SYRIZA.

Supporters of ruling SYRIZA party react after the release of the initial exit polls following local, regional and European elections in Greece. New Democracy had 36-32 percent of the vote and SYRIZA, the party of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, had 29-25 percent, according to the polls. [EPA]

With voting for local, regional and European Parliament elections still underway, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras chaired a SYRIZA political secretariat meeting earlier Sunday, according to reports.
According to the same reports, the political secretariat of the incumbent leftists discussed data from early exit polls.

The overarching question in Greek politics on the eve of the European Parliament and local elections of 26 May was when Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will call the general election.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Friday that the European parliament election was also a vote of confidence in his policies, and a minister who is close to him said an early national election was possible depending on the result.

Opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to resign on May 26 and call an early national election if he loses the election for the European Parliament two weeks from now.

Most polls show Mitsotakis' New Democracy with a comfortable lead over the ruling SYRIZA.

A national election is not due until October.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis clashed again on Friday night, ahead of a confidence vote in the government, though the rhetoric was less intense than Wednesday's personal exchange. 

As expected, the government won the confidence vote with 153 MPs supporting it and 136 opposing it.

By George Gilson

PM Alexis Tsipras and New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis exchanged vitriolic and below-the-belt attacks over issues ranging from economic policy to their private vacations to how their families made their fortunes.

Conservative opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on Greeks to provide New Democracy with a "wide and clear" win in the upcoming European elections, saying they could be "the first step for a bigger political change."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called on lawmakers to support the government in a confidence debate on Wednesday, saying this would maintain and strengthen the country's path towards economic growth.