Challenges ahead

"We will not provoke a break with our partners, nor will we carry on with the policies of unquestioning submission." With these words, Alexis Tsipras, the clear winner of Greece's early parliamentary election, outlined his plans in Athens just before midnight on Sunday. Thanks to the influx of many protest votes, his left-wing Syriza, a few years ago a grouping on the fringe, has turned into a new party for the people.

The charismatic Tsipras, a complete novice when it comes to governance, has now arrived in the most difficult phase of his political career. As the election winner and the great hope of the majority, he must now turn his anti-austerity rhetoric into practical politics.

It will not be easy for the "Greek Robin Hood." Greece is still dependant on cash injections from the hated troika: the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission. An attempted refinancing of the country on the stock markets failed miserably just a few months ago.

In other words, a Syriza government cannot run the risk of a break with its international partners, without risking disastrous consequences for the country. Syriza will seek a renegotiation, with the aim being a new debt reduction haircut. Otherwise, the party will not be able to keep its promises to the crisis-stricken population.

Still on shaky ground

Five years after Greece's de facto bankruptcy and despite an international bailout, the country is still on shaky ground. Successes, like last year's remarkable growth in productivity, surpluses in the state budget and a booming tourism sector, should not obscure the fact that the Greek economy has lost a fifth of its volume in recent years.

The unemployment level remains sky-high, and entire segments of the population have been driven into poverty by ill-conceived austerity measures and ludicrous taxes. It could be said that Greece is experiencing a delayed and unsystematic modernization, with enormous social costs.

Brussels, Greece should work together

The pillars of the coalition governments in recent years have always been the conservative New Democracy party of ousted Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and the Socialist PASOK. These were also precisely the parties responsible for the mismanagement and corruption of the past decades. Voters have, accordingly, punished them for it.

Now Syriza promises to tackle unfinished business - curb corruption, punish tax evasion, rehabilitate the public sector - goals which for Greek politicians have become Sisyphean tasks. The fresh, inexperienced Syriza is now preparing to cut the Gordian knot. And it would be helpful for Greece, and for Europe, for its partners in Brussels and elsewhere to refrain from provoking a split with the new power in charge in Athens.