FT: “Europeans want a change in the Greek government”

The major disappointment of Eurozone officials in the negotiations with the SYRIZA-led coalition government has become so intense, that they are debating the possibility of a change in the government in Athens, according to a Financial Times report. The report notes that, in private, the discussions revolve around Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras taking the decision to rid his party of the “far left” and form an alliance with a traditional center-left party, such as PASOK, and The River.

An official cited by the Financial Times argued that Mr. Tsipras must decide whether he wants to be Prime Minister or the leader of SYRIZA, with another adding that the Greek government cannot survive. According to the Financial Times, moderates within SYRIZA appear to admit problems with the party’s “official intraparty opposition“, the Left Platform. One SYRIZA official told the newspaper that SYRIZA is more of a “debating society” than a political party.

The Financial Times are quick to note that the Eurozone officials are not trying to enforce a government change, but are disappointed in the choices made by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in the negotiations. They also appear frustrated by Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who while cooperative, has managed to alienate potential allies by “lecturing” in talks with his counterparts.