5 ms·

Of course he wants a referendum. That way whatever happens people can't blame it on him. IMO that's the sign of a weak leader.

• jon-wood 11y ago
  I think this is the sign of a leader who knows his bounds - the Greek parliament were elected on a campaign to reduce austerity measures. For them to now go ahead and impose further measures would be a clear violation of the trust the electorate has placed in them. I wish more political leaders would recognise that they're answerable to the electorate, and put more controversial laws to a public vote instead of just imposing their will.
• tomp 11y ago
  It's a sign of a honest leader, given that he was elected on a promise of reducing austerity while keeping Greece in the EU/Eurozone, which right now seems impossible.
• mrweasel 11y ago
  I don't think so, quit the opposite actually. He can't give the Greeks what they want, it's not within his means, not without breaking promise he made earlier on. Arguably he may have made promises that where perhaps never realistic. The people want two contradictory things, based on the anti-austerity and "We want to stay in the Euro" protests. It seems fair to ask the people "Do you want the Euro, regardless of what austerity measures that might require" or "Do you want to avoid austerity and risk having to leave the Euro"?
  • tsotha 11y ago
    >I don't think so, quit the opposite actually. He can't give the Greeks what they want, it's not within his means, not without breaking promise he made earlier on. Arguably he may have made promises that where perhaps never realistic. If you put it that way he's not a leader at all. He's just an opportunistic liar taking advantage of a bad situation.