Tsipras admits defeat to critic of the Prespa treaty, will allow early elections

Tsipras promises early elections in Greece

An ashen faced Alexis Tsipras announced that he will be calling for early elections to be held, after his SYRIZA party was badly defeated by the conservative New Democracy party in the European and municipal elections. The move brings Kyriakos Mistotakis, an outspoken critic of the Prespa treaty, close to taking over power in Greece.

The outcome was not according to our expectations. I will ask President Prokopis Pavolopoulos to call early elections, Tsipras said. The earliest the elections can be held is June 30th.

Greeks were supposed to go to the polls later this year anyway but the move is brought forward as Tsipras lost across the country and fell 9 points behind New Democracy. His ex coalition partner Panos Kammenos, who broke ranks with Tsipras over the Macedonia name deal, tweeted that it was the Prespa treaty which was “suicide for SYRIZA”.