Ahead of Greek election, Syriza’s ‘lost generation’ deserts Tsipras
ATHENS – So divided has Syriza’s youth wing become over the direction of Greece’s leftist party, that when its council planned to convene at the end of August, the meeting was abandoned. Too many of its 71 members were on the point of quitting.
The incident showed the disillusionment Syriza’s twenty-somethings feel with leader Alexis Tsipras, the former Communist student activist they once celebrated as one of their own.
In just seven months as premier, Tsipras, under pressure from Greece’s creditors, has backtracked on his pre-election promises to end austerity.
“Syriza’s youth is almost over, very few people are staying behind,” said one of those who walked out.
Tsipras has called an election on Sept. 20 in an effort to win a fresh mandate to push through the economic reforms that are a condition of Greece’s latest 86 billion euro bailout.
But Syriza’s lead over its rivals has crumbled, with one poll this week showing the conservative New Democracy party in front.
Support from those aged 18-44 – once the backbone of Syriza’s support according to pollsters – has plummeted. The most popular party for 18-24-year-olds now is the far right Golden Dawn, while Syriza languishes in fourth place, data by the pollster Alco show.
A fractured election result could spell more turmoil for a country battered by recession and high unemployment, and risks derailing the implementation of the bailout programme that is up for review by the creditors in October.
