openDemocracy Alex Tsipras - between radicalism and realism

openDemocracy

Alex Tsipras - between radicalism and realism
"Three things grabbed my attention: 1) Tsipras insisted on the necessity of again establishing democracy against the ‘powers of the oligarchy’ in terms of social justice and equality. 2) He took great care to construct a speech which stepped away from the usual rhetoric of the traditional radical left (particularly anticapitalist elements). Alexis Tsipras was a militant in the KNE, the youth wing of the Greek Communist Party (KKE). However, neither the rhetoric, nor the thrust of his argument were typically Marx-inspired. 3) The speech took great care to avoid difficult questions: what would Syriza do if it came to power? I ask myself what Tsipras’ personal goals are. If he was the prime minister, would he try to construct a left wing majority aiming to make a radical break from the policies imposed by the Troïka?  "