Why are European leaders so afraid of Greece’s Syriza party?

The calling of a snap election in Greece for January 25 has been met with great concern in political circles, prompted direct interventions by top European officials and alarmed markets and credit rating agencies.

This is all because Syriza, the Greek Coalition of the Radical Left, is being tipped to win the election. It is currently the largest opposition party in the Greek parliament and consistently leads the polls as the vote approaches.

What are the beliefs and programme of Syriza?

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Greek legislative election, 25 January 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/greek-legislative-election-25-january-2015/

ESO: Background information: EU Commission joins Grexit debate http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-commission-joins-grexit-debate/

ESO: Background information: Europe is now on course for a showdown between Alexis Tsipras and Wolfgang Schäuble over Greek debt http://www.europeansources.info/record/europe-is-now-on-course-for-a-showdown-between-alexis-tsipras-and-wolfgang-schauble-over-greek-debt/

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