Greece’s former PM Alexis Tsipras has launched a scathing attack on his ex-finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, claiming that no one could stomach the firebrand economist.
In his 762-page memoir Ithaki, meaning Ithaca, released on Monday, the leftist recounted his political journey and criticised many of his former allies, including Varoufakis.
Tsipras argued that Varoufakis was “more celebrity than economist” and said that he “underestimated the human factor” when appointing him as finance minister during Greece’s debt crisis in 2015.
“Varoufakis went from being an asset to a negative protagonist. Not only could our potential allies not stand him, but neither could his own colleagues,” Tsipras wrote.
Tsipras became leader of the radical left-wing Syriza party in 2008 and oversaw its meteoric rise, culminating in his election as Greek prime minister in 2015.
Having stormed to power on an anti-austerity agenda, Tsipras — backed by Varoufakis — appeared on track to lead Greece out of the eurozone in 2015.
Despite a referendum in which Greeks resoundingly rejected the EU’s proposed bailout terms, Tsipras ultimately ignored the results and accepted a new package with even harsher austerity measures. Varoufakis resigned over Tsipras’ decision to reverse course.
In the memoir, Tsipras said he had harboured doubts about his finance minister from an early stage of his tenure, claiming that Varoufakis was confrontational and egotistical.
“Varoufakis had proved himself to be unsuitable for an agreement that required complex and delicate handling,” Tsipras wrote.
“He was the face of negotiation, the man who attracted publicity, who graced the covers of magazines the world over … he gave the impression he was enjoying his new role.”
On Tuesday, Varoufakis told Greek state TV ERT that he has not read the book, saying that he would instead “wait for the movie to be released”.
“Tsipras is the creditors’ greatest achievement,” Varoufakis said. “He had given them everything, and they punished him. They didn’t just want him to sign a memorandum, they wanted to humiliate him.”
Greece’s former prime minister, who left office in 2019, resigned from his parliamentary seat and left Syriza in October, fuelling speculation that he will form a new party.
