Tsipras opposes forming coalition with conservatives

The leader of the Greek leftist party Syriza, Alexis Tsipras, indirectly refused on Monday to form a coalition with the conservative New Democracy party.

Tsipras said at a press conference on Monday in Thessaloniki, after the one on Sunday where he presented the main priorities of his government in case he won the upcoming snap elections of Sep. 20, that the people will decide whether Syriza will continue to govern and with whom, and that the dilemma is whether Syriza or New Democracy will lead the country, Efe reported.

Tsipras thus gave an indirect refusal to the offer of the leader of New Democracy, Vangelis Meimarakis, to forge a grand coalition to ensure the continuity of Greece in the Eurozone.

The former Greek prime minister said that anyone who wins will be close to an absolute majority and therefore can choose whom to govern with.

In his view, the differences between the two parties are very significant.

The leftist leader also added that the political practices of the past must be left behind to move forward to end the corruption, which thrived within past Greek governments.