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The leader of the radical left SYRIZA Alexis Tsipras, who has been trying for the second day in a row to form a left coalition government in Greece, will meet with newly elected President of France François Hollande. Meanwhile, he is holding meetings with the leaders of Greek left parties and later today, he will have a confidential meeting with PASOK´s leader Evangelos Venizelos and New Democracy’s Antonis Samaras.
 
"If they want a government held hostage, they must forget it," said Alexis Tsipras, turning to the leaders of Greek parties. In a speech to the parliamentary group of SYRIZA, he described PASOK and New Democracy as the political forces wanting to bury Greece in austerity measures for dozens of years and stated that SYRIZA will not allow it. He emphasized that it is quite normal for the extreme left to be subject to attacks by the parties that signed the Memorandum. "We have differences but we are interested in providing the country with a government. We do not want further cuts in pensions and salaries. Greek people do not want this either." In his opinion, the last elections have proved that the people want a left government, which will take the country out of the contract for financial assistance. "We insist that this is not a programme for the salvation of the country and it was rejected by the Greek people," repeated Tsipras.

Alexis Tsipras rejected Evangelos Venizelos’ proposal for establishing a government of national salvation, which would involve SYRIZA, New Democracy, PASOK and the Democratic Left. He described a similar coalition government as "a government of Memorandum salvation," not for the salvation of Greece and refused to take part in it.