The Prime Minister, after much frustration, came to the conclusion that he has no other option other than complying with and fulfilling the promises he has made towards the creditors and partners. He realized that to enjoy some benefits – financial and otherwise, particularly in relation to the menacing and huge public debt – he will have to expedite the adjustment and reform efforts.

So he formed a government without many doubters in the areas of growth, energy, shipping and transports, while at the same time closed some damaging fronts, such as with the Church and football.

The appointment of Messrs. Papadimitriou and Pitsiorlas at the ministry of Growth and the replaced of Messrs. Skourletis and Dritsas by Messrs. Stathakis and Kouroumplis confirm the intention to tackle the doubts in central choices in the implementation of financial policy.

Furthermore, he removed or downgraded contentious ministers who provoked effect on the public sentiment or fueled the public anger, such as Messrs. Filis, Alexiadis and Katrougalos.

He also almost isolated the controversial and difficult issue of managing the media, by greatly downgrading the initiator of the futile and totally problematic, as it turned out, conflict.

From then on, he promoted a few people from his generation, strengthened his alliance with the minister of National Defense, restricted the presence of former PASOK officers and even left Fotis Kouvelis aside.

Once could say that the new government that Mr. Tsipras formed is not electoral, but on the contrary it was formed to give one final battle, in hopes of achieving results capable of bringing some opportunities for stabilization and recovery for the troubled and damaged new Left.

It is clear that the Prime Minister is carrying on with the line he chose in the summer of 2015, whether he likes it or not.

Despite the delays, he finally realized that there is no other path to choose, beyond compromising with Europe and the international financial centers.

In essence, he consciously decided to walk the path of compliance and obedience, in hopes that he will have the opportunity to change the game.

He delayed in finalizing the turn, the damage is huge and the troops do not have the necessary drive and faith to move mountains and achieve results needed by society to accept and embrace them once more.

As it would seem, the largely pro-bailout and orthodox leftist government of Tsipras is still on the playing field and will attempt to give a battle for survival, but nothing guarantees success and progress…

Antonis Karakousis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition