The man who holds the fate of the euro in his hands

In an exclusive interview in the Guardian newspaper Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the left wing, anti-austerity bloc, says Greece is on the frontline of a war that is engulfing Europe.

He says that the current European policy of propping up Greece through huge handouts is not working.

"It is like throwing money at a bottomless pit" he says.

He said he was willing to tear up the country's €130 billion bailout agreement reached in March this year, due to the conditions attached.

Greece has received more than €240 billion in bailout loans from the EU and the IMF :

• €110 billion in May 2010

• €130 billion in March 2012