News Analysis: Greek cabinet reshuffle receives mixed reactions

Greece's cabinet reshuffle aimed at finalizing in coming weeks the debt deal on a third bailout with international creditors received mixed reactions in Athens on Saturday.

The decision of Greek Leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to proceed to a mini shake-up of the Left-led coalition government on Friday evening - and the choices he made - was widely seen as a bid to stabilize the government to take the necessary steps until autumn to ensure that Greece will stay afloat and in the euro zone.

However, opposition political parties and a part of analysts and media expressed doubts over the successful outcome of the effort to breathe new life into the ruling coalition and complete the talks with lenders with no more turbulence.

Tsipras replaced ministers that had either resigned or had voted against party line in the Greek parliament early Thursday, rejecting the debt deal reached on Monday and the first set of reforms lenders requested before releasing vital financing as of next week.

A total of 39 of out of 149 MPs of his Radical Left SYRIZA party defied party line in a blow for the Premier that fuelled concern over the fate of the coalition government in a crucial period for the country.

Government sources have said that Tsipras intends to remain at the helm even leading a minority government until the third bailout is finalized by the end of the summer, because political instability at this period could send all efforts to avert default and Grexit off track.

As expected on Friday the Greek leader kept key ministries unchanged and replaced ministers who voted against the agreement as "humiliating" for Greece.

The focus during the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday was on Tryfon Alexiadis, the Vice President of the tax office employees' federation, who took over the post of Alternate Finance Minister from Nadia Valavani, who resigned and voted against the framework of the third Greek bailout and the first prior actions.

The rest of the nine newcomers - or ministers changing posts - in the 42-member line-up were veteran party members of SYRIZA or Tsipras' junior coalition partner, the Right-wing Independent Greeks party.

The appointment of Pavlos Haikalis, an actor who was elected with the Independent Greeks, to the post of Deputy Social Insurance Minister was the one drawing most criticism. Haikalis does not have any experience and the overhaul of Greece's pension system to make it sustainable is one of the most crucial and thorny issues in negotiations with lenders.

Media commentators also expressed doubts over the willingness of certain party members who assumed responsibilities as ministers on Saturday to promote reforms.

"In short, Tsipras chose timidity over boldness," Professor of Political Science Stathis Kallyvas commented, expressing concern that the Premier's bid "will not end well."

"The result of the shakeup mirrors the Premier's lack of determination to implement the steep changes Greek society wants," the centrist River party said in a statement.

"The image of the new cabinet indicates that Tsipras will not fulfill the promises he made, but has his mind set on snap elections soon," the socialists of PASOK added.

"It is obvious the Prime Minister opted to remove the 'rebels' and strengthen the government's unity, but seems that the new line up is transitional until he makes the final choices whether he will form a national unity government or call snap general elections in October," an editorial on "Vima" (Tribune) daily read.

"No choice is easy... But if the Left government collapses the road will be open to the conservative governments of the past or the cabinets of technocrats who will implement harsher policies," responded another editorial printed on the pro-government "Avghi" (Dawn) newspaper.

"Although the results so far do not satisfy the 62 percent of Greek citizens who voted against austerity in the July 5 referendum, the collapse of this government would delete any hope for a better course in the future," the editorial concluded, pointing to the latest opinion survey published on Saturday.

The 70 percent of Greeks are in favor of a deal even on tough terms rather than default and Grexit, the poll conducted by polling firm PALMOS ANALYSIS for "Efimerida ton Syntakton" (Editors' Daily).

On the other hand, 24 percent of respondents chose bankruptcy and return to drachma rather than a "humiliating and unviable" agreement.

In case elections were held this weekend SYRIZA would garner 42.5 percent of votes, winning 164 seats and parliamentary majority in the 300-member strong chamber.

The main opposition conservative New Democracy party would follow with 21.5 percent and the River with 8 percent.

The far-Right Golden Dawn party would win 6.5 percent of votes, the socialists 6 percent, the Communist party 5.5 and the Independent Greeks would marginally enter the assembly with 3 percent of votes.

According to the survey which was carried out before the announcement of the cabinet reshuffle, 60 percent of respondents want a wider coalition government with the participation of more parties and only 28 percent of Greeks prefer the conduction of national elections soon. Endit