Why Greece’s premier decided to call snap elections

Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, an independent, not-for-profit think-tank, similarly believes that it was the right time to call an election, due to the weakness of the other political parties, which can offer no viable alternative at this stage.

Capitalising on his popularity is key for Tsipras now, as that could well start to fade once austerity measures begin to bite. Odendahl says that VAT hikes and pension cuts are already being keenly felt.

“There is no alternative on the horizon, he remains the undisputed most popular politician,” he says. “The window of opportunity is right now.”