Top SYRIZA officials believe that the coalition government will eventually pass the controversial bills, despite the weak majority and the opposition’s unwillingness to vote in favor.
Scenarios abound that some SYRIZA lawmakers will dissent and abstain from the vote, protesting against the harsh security fund reforms required by Greece’s bailout program. This would put at risk the majority of the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition now counting only 153 MPs in the 300-seat parliament.
Government spokesperson Olga Gerovasili answered to the dissent scenarios by starting new scenarios about expansion of the government majority. Gerovasili hinted that there will be lawmakers from other parties who will vote in favor of the bills.
According to a Real News newspaper report, one Potami lawmaker is “flirting” with SYRIZA and is likely to vote in favor of the bill. Two Potami MPs asked her about the truth of the report and she neither denied, nor confirmed the allegation.
State Minister Alekos Flambouraris spoke on state broadcaster ERT on Monday saying that there is a possibility the coalition will cooperate with the Centrists Union. He said there is a scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and CU leader Vassilis Leventis. Flambouraris also said that four or five of the suggestions made to the government are very positive and can be discussed more thoroughly.
Flambouraris also said that the coalition government is willing to cooperate with all parties except New Democracy and the far right. He called for a new dialogue between SYRIZA and the remaining opposition parties.
Interior Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis stated he is not afraid that the government would lose majority in parliament on the critical vote. Speaking on Mega television on Tuesday, Kouroumblis said that even SYRIZA dissent Stathis Panagoulis (who voted against the previous bill of prior actions and became independent) might vote in favor of the new bill. He also said that lawmakers for other party might vote in favor of the reforms at this crucial stage for the country.
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