Alexis Tsipras has said he will ditch his casual look once Greece gets a deal.
The young Greek leader has gone with the relaxed open collar look, but that may change if and when Greece gets a deal.
Italian Premier, Matteo Renzi offered Tsipras an Italian silk tie after their clearly friendly meeting, a souvenir of the Italian Presidency of the European Council, a six month term that saw Italy boost its reputation and representation in the EU institutions.
Receiving the tie, Tsipras remarked, "I will wear it when we find a sustainable solution for Greece."
A deal may be closer than many would have thought as Greek politicians embark European tour has calmed nerves and found support.
The equally tieless Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis looked much cooler than the buttoned up British Chancellor in London, but once again, making a god impression, and not just on the fashion pages.
Osborne, whose party leader is a key ally of Merkel and austerity, was said to be dismissive of a ‘haircut’ of Greek debts but added that it was important for the eurozone to have a plan for jobs and growth.
German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble said, “We want Greece to continue going down this successful path in the interests of Greece and the Greeks.”
Few, if any inside and outside of Greece would look at the scale of the suffering in the country and the ever rising debts and call it “success” and this is the key point.
While everyone wants governments to keep the promises of their predecessors, the new Greek government is winning friends because of their willingness to negotiate rather than descend into empty populist rhetoric.
But what is really winning support, is the behind the scenes knowledge that austerity has not worked and is destroying the European dream.
The issue is not Greece versus Germany, but Europe versus Germany, with Tsipras as the charismatic new centre forward.
He’s likely to be sporting a tie sooner than many think.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/ties-bind-0