Economics
Tsipras Says Coalition `Unnatural' as Nail-Biter Election Looms
- Syriza leader defends record in office in two-hour TV debate
- Opinion polls put Syriza and New Democracy neck and neck
Alexis Tsipras, former Greek prime minister.
Photographer: Kostas Tsironis/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Alexis Tsipras told Greek voters that forming a grand coalition with his arch rivals would be “unnatural” and that a refusal to do so won’t stoke further political turmoil in Europe’s most indebted state.
With opinion polls putting his leftist Syriza party neck and neck with conservative New Democracy ahead of next week’s elections, the ex-prime minister whose Aug. 20 resignation triggered the snap vote used a two-hour televised debate to defend his seven months as head of government and make a spirited case for re-election.