ATHENS: Radical left leader Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as Greece’s new prime minister on Monday after forming a surprise alliance with Independent Greeks, a small right-wing nationalist party, signaling possible confrontation over the country’s bailout.

The 40-year-old broke with tradition and took a secular oath rather than the Greek Orthodox religious ceremony with which prime ministers are usually sworn in.

Tsipras’s anti-bailout Syriza party gained the backing needed to form a government by obtaining the support of Independent Greeks, which took 4.7 per cent of the votes. Although the alliance between two ideologically opposed parties who share only their opposition to the bailout was a surprise, it nevertheless boosted stock markets across Europe that had fallen on news of the uncertain election results and fear of a second election. Stocks had fallen as much as four per cent in Athens on Monday morning, before recovering most losses.

Syriza won 36.3 per cent of the vote in Sunday’s early general elections, but fell two seats short of the necessary majority in the 300-seat parliament to form a government on its own.

Published in Dawn January 27th, 2015

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