Tsipras to SKAI: 'You will be pleasantly surprised by the government I will form'

The elections with simple proportional representation elect a government and voters should cast their votes accordingly, main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras said in an interview on SKAI television on Tuesday. He also appeared confident that the first and third parties will be able to form a government, while noting that the composition of the progressive government that he will form "will come as a pleasant surprise".

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He also noted that such collaboration between ruling New Democracy and PASOK was possible but problematic.

"...[PASOK-KINAL leader Nikos] Androulakis said that he wants a socialdemocratic government. I don't know whether he can form a socialdemocratic government with [Makis] Voridis and [Thanos] Plevris and there is also another small issue: I was not the one eavesdropping on Mr. Androulakis, it was [Prime Minister Kyriakos] Mitsotakis...."

He said that Greek voters will be the ones who decide who will be the next prime minister and that he will be presenting SYRIZA-PA's "contract for change" to the voters and political parties on Wednesday, outlining 11 pledges for policy convergence after the elections.

Referring to the candidates on SYRIZA's ticket in comparison with those of ND, he pointed out that half were women and that they included a number of people who excelled in their respective fields, suggesting that "excellence has moved" to SYRIZA and that ND's ticket, by contrast, was a disappointment.

Tsipras also replied to questions regarding the cost of the programme unveiled by SYRIZA-PA, while noting that the average tax burden was currently greater than it had been under SYRIZA's governance, chiefly because of indirect taxes. Reducing indirect taxation will be one of the first acts of a future SYRIZA government, he added, while also repeated pledges to raise the minimum wage and grant a 13th pension.