Tsipras needs to get cracking now

IT IS all up to Alexis Tsipras now. The Greek leftist politician's electoral triumph means no domestic forces can stop him implementing the country's 86 billion euro (S$136.6 billion) bailout deal. The big question is whether the prime minister has the will and the competence to do so. If not, his victory could soon turn to disaster.

Mr Tsipras secured a big win in the election held on Sept 20. Despite breaking almost all the promises he made when he was first elected in January, he ended up with almost the same percentage of the vote and the same number of members of parliament. His old coalition partner, the right-wing Independent Greek, also got back into parliament, with the result that he won't need to bring in any new partners to form a new government. Together they will have about 155 MPs in the 300-seat parliament.

The Syriza leader's victory is all the more impressive because it was achieved after pursuing a disastrous negotiating strategy with Greece's eurozone creditors which resulted in the country's banks being closed for three weeks and capital controls being imposed.