Greece’s left-wing opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras, has announced his decision to step down after a crushing election defeat.
Mr Tsipras, 48, served as Greece’s prime minister from 2015 to 2019 during politically tumultuous years as the country struggled to remain in the euro zone and end a series of international bailouts.
In Sunday’s general election, Mr Tsipras’s left-wing Syriza party received just under 18% of the vote, while the winning New Democracy party topped 40%.
“I make no secret of the fact that this is a painful decision… I don’t take hasty decisions. I put them under my pillow and torture myself with them first,” Mr Tsipras said in a televised address.
He added: “The party must take difficult and courageous decisions, which are called upon to serve a new vision. This obviously concerns me too.”
Heading Syriza since 2012, Mr Tsipras forged a more cohesive party, taking it from a small political group to general election victory in 2015 on a pledge to push back on harsh austerity measures demanded by bailout lenders from other euro zone members and the International Monetary Fund.
The effort proved unsuccessful and Greece was given a third bailout later that year to avoid bankruptcy and an exit from the shared euro currency.
He eased his combative stance towards the European Commission and eventually forged closed ties with European leaders, including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
He was widely praised by Western allies for finalising an agreement with North Macedonia that ushered Greece’s neighbour into Nato and advanced its effort to join the European Union.
Mr Tsipras is expected to stay on as leader until his successor is elected by the party membership.
