1. The victory of Syriza in the Greek general election of 25 January was a victory for the left and the workers’ movement – not only in Greece but throughout Europe. It marked a breakthrough in the struggle against the austerity measures with which the Western ruling classes have reacted to the global economic crisis (once the immediate scare caused by the 2008 financial crash passed).

2. For the following five months the government of Alexis Tsipras struggled to seek a compromise with the dominant powers in the European Union that would bring relief to the Greek people from austerity and reduce the burden of debt under which they labour. Tsipras and his allies pursued this objective even after they were forced to climb down on 20 February, when it was clear that the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, and behind them the German government were determined to ...