by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

ATHENS, Greece–

Greek voters returned former Prime Minister Alexi Tsipras, leader of the left-wing Syriza party, to the head of the Greek government after a strong win by the party on Sunday morning. The leader of the conservative New Democratic Party conceded defeat, congratulating Tsipras on the win. Early exiting polls showed that while the Syriza party did not win outright, a coalition government with the Independent Greeks party would create a slim majority.

However, any elation felt over the win has been eclipsed by the harsh reality of the Greek economic crisis. Opinion polls before Sunday’s election showed that millions of Greek voters were unsure who to vote for, due to the country’s economic collapse. Although Tsipras won on an anti-austerity ticket during the elections in January, he was forced to accept economic reforms in exchange for a 96 billion euro bailout from international creditors. Despite 61% of Greek citizens voting no to bailouts in July, Tsipras agreed to the bailouts to keep Greece in the Eurozone. The austerity measures that came with the new terms were seen as harsher than previous measures, and included new taxes, privatizations, and spending cuts.

Whatever coalition forms the new government, it is sure to become a headache for Tsipras, as many of the Syrzia party are angry about the bailouts. “This is a fragile party, although one third of the members broke off there are still radical elements left who can create problems for Tsipras,” said Marco Vicenzino, a Greece expert at the Global Strategy Project, an international risk consultancy. More than two dozen of the Syrzia party has broken off in defiance of the austerity measures, claiming that Tsipras has abandoned his principles.

The new Greek government will have only a couple of weeks to pass the legislation necessary to confirm to international creditors that Greek is serious about continuing with the bailouts. This government will also have to deal with the growing influx of migrants. Greece has been used as a main route into the European Union, with tens of thousands arriving by sea. Although many of these migrants leave quickly, the flow is becoming increasingly overwhelming to the already unsteady Greek government.

For more information, please see–

Al- Jazeera–Left-wing Syriza party wins Greek snap polls— 20 September 2015

BBC–Greece election: Conservative New Democracy admits defeat— 20 September 2015

Reuters–Greek voters return Tsipras to power with strong win— 20 September 2015

The Telegraph-Alexis Tsipras emerges as clear winner in shock election result— 20 September 2015