Main opposition leader and former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that he was ready to join a unity government in order to to keep Greece in the euro zone.
Samaras, leader of the parliament’s second-largest party centre-right New Democracy, expressed his preference for the formation of a national unity government should the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition lose its majority in Parliament.
Prime Tsipras has faced a vocal revolt from within Syriza since his new reform proposal — which includes steep increases in pension contributions and new taxes on corporate profits — was unveiled on Monday.
Talks between Greece and creditor institutions resume this morning but even if Prime Minister Tsipras strikes a deal with his country's EU/IMF creditors the document should be endorsed by the Hellenic Parliament. If the Greek parliament does fail to back the deal, Tsipras might resort to calling an election.
In an interview for Crash magazine, Samaras estimated that a new national unity government will be necessary, if the new reform plan will not pass parliament.
The ex Prime Minister noted that if Syriza looses the majority in Parliament it would not be right for Mr. Tsipras to remain Prime Minister. Samaras also claimed that it is not his aim to return to power. “The country cannot endure another round of elections, Syriza MP's should join other mainstream opposition parties in backing the plan … Mr. Tsipras and myself should be excluded from the new government”, Samaras argued.