But for many on the streets of Athens it’s his words that matterhis promise of “No more bailouts, no more submission, no more blackmailing.”
It’s a message of hope that resonates with those across this country, hardened by years of the EU’s bitter medicine: Austerity.
READ: Greeks vote in election that could lead to showdown over bailout
Greece was among the nations hardest-hit by the global financial crisis; a deeply-troubled economy, widespread unemployment and civil unrest meant that back in 2010 the country was teetering on the brink of exit from the euro, labeled the sick man of Europe.
–
“Syriza doesn’t express 100% my opinions and I’m not level with what they believe and what they want to do, but I believe its something new, a new party with fresh ideas that is going to change what is already rotten,” he explains.
There is no doubt that anger and austerity have fueled the rise of Syriza in a country whose citizens are calling for social and economic change.
But — if he is elected — the question of whether Tsipras can make a difference to Greece will depend on what he does with his power, and how the EU and its leaders deal with him.
Whatever the outcome of Sunday’s polls, the hard work, it seems, is just beginning.
