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Alexis Tsipras has much thinking to do. AP/Press Association Images

Greek rebels form new party ahead of snap election

It’s called Popular Unity.

Uopdated: 22.37

SOME HARDLINE MPs from the Greek Syriza party are to break away and form their own political party according to local media.

A day after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras resigned and announced a snap election, 25 colleagues have now committed to a new party, Laiki Enotita (Popular Unity).

The 25 members have been listed in the Greek newspaper Ta Nea and include those who were opposed to Greece’s latest bailout deal.

It will be lead by former energy minster Panagiotis Lafazani.

Former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis was not listed among its members.

Tsipras had argued that the recent €86 billion rescue package, Greece’s third bailout, was the only way to prevent the country from defaulting and crashing out of the eurozone.

But for furious critics within his hard-left party Syriza say agreement represented capitulation to “blackmail” from the creditors and an unacceptable betrayal of everything they stood for.

“Every corner and beauty of Greece is being sold,” railed parliament speaker Zoe Constantopoulou, decrying the bailout deal as a “crime against humanity”.

Despite her strong objections to the deal, Constantopoulou was not listed among the 25 Syriza members who’ve signed up for the breakaway party.

The fresh political uncertainty shook the markets, with stocks in Athens shedding 2.5%, while Greece’s European creditors urged it to implement the terms of the massive new bailout whoever wins the poll, which is likely to be held on September 20.

FRANCE 24 English / YouTube

Tsipras has been battling a major rebellion within the party for weeks, with dozens of his MPs refusing to back the bailout in three successive parliamentary votes.

Each time, he was forced to rely on the opposition to get crucial bills approving the rescue passed — meaning he had effectively lost his parliamentary majority.

Yesterday, he once again leapt fiercely to the bailout’s defence as he announced his resignation, saying: “I want to submit to the Greek people everything I have done so that they can decide once more.”

Despite being unable to keep his lawmakers in line, the 41-year-old nonetheless remains widely trusted by Greeks as the best man to be leading the country through the crisis, and is far ahead of any of his rivals in opinion polls.

With reporting by © – AFP 2015

Originally published:

Read: Alexis Tsipras has resigned and a snap election has been called in Greece >

Read: Tsipras ‘doesn’t regret’ leading Greece into third multi-billion euro bailout >

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107 Comments
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    Mute Cosmo Kramer
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:18 AM

    I wish the Journal and other media outlets would stop this over reporting of the weather. Everyday its the same crap, warm for a few days. Cold and wet for a few days. Thats Irish weather in a nutshell..

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:21 AM

    @Cosmo Kramer: To some of us busy people – the weather is critical to doing our jobs. Daily updates are critical.

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:32 AM

    @Cosmo Kramer: And maybe, the media should stop reporting the news too as it’s always the same – car accidents, strikes, drugs, crime?

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    Mute Cosmo Kramer
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:42 AM

    @Fank Pulman: Frank the weather is either cold and wet, warm and dry, cold and sunny or wet and warm. Thats it with the exception of the odd windy day. Look out the window every now and again and your set..

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:50 AM

    @Cosmo Kramer: An extraordinarily naive post! Cursory window observations will not tell you when the weather will change – or what it’s like (or going to be like) in different locations.

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    Mute Donnchadh Cassin
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:57 AM

    @Fank Pulman: your not that busy dude

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Mar 25th 2017, 11:02 AM

    @Donnchadh Cassin: But, unlike you, I can spell…

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    Mute Shane Cormac O'Duibhleachain
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    Mar 25th 2017, 1:33 PM

    @Cosmo Kramer: red thumb

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Mar 25th 2017, 1:52 PM

    I agree. The weather in this country is not news, and should not feature on ‘news’ apps. There are several good weather apps out there for those who are interested.

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Mar 25th 2017, 2:05 PM

    @Anthony Byrne: No – it’s not news. Just very important information, for many…

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    Mute Fank Pulman
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    Mar 25th 2017, 2:25 PM

    @Fank Pulman: maybe we should cancel all traffic reports as well – because we know the roads are always crowded!?

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Mar 25th 2017, 7:35 PM

    Yep. And the sky is blue. This is also information. Important information to some.

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    Mute Donnchadh Cassin
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    Mar 26th 2017, 4:30 PM

    @Fank Pulman: Oh sorry didnt realise this was an english test…ya spanner. also a great sign that somebody has lost any argument when you resort to being a grammar cop.

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:29 AM

    You couldn’t even go one day. Do you have hard on’s for giving us bad news journal?

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    Mute Censored
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:24 AM

    See the gimps going crazy at even a hint of sunshine. It’s still very cold outside.

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:55 AM

    @Censored: lovely n warm in my yard

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    Mute KevinMunster
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    Mar 25th 2017, 11:46 AM

    @Censored: 17 degrees is hot for March in Ireland lad

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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Mar 25th 2017, 12:46 PM

    Fab here. Don’t be so moany.

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    Mute Fred Jensen
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    Mar 25th 2017, 12:55 PM

    Those Sheriff Street lads jumping into the Liffey near the convention centre.

    Do you all realise that you paid for their swimsuits?

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    Mute Donnchadh Cassin
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:56 AM

    Come on journal let us enjoy the few days we have. We know its not going to last forever its March ffs.

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    Mute john culhane
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    Mar 25th 2017, 10:57 AM

    If we didn’t talk about the weather, we would have f*u*c*k all to talk about!

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    Mute Paul Radburn
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    Mar 25th 2017, 3:45 PM

    My umbrella is up and down more times than a wh*res knickers!

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