Greece's former PM savages Varoufakis in debt crisis account

The firebrand economist Yanis Varoufakis, who rose to fame at the height of Greece's debt drama, was egotistical and more interested in testing out his game theories on the nation than winning its battle to keep afloat, according to the former prime minister Alexis Tsipras.

- Helena Smith

In his memoir, Ithaki, the once radical leftwing leader seeks to put the record straight 10 years later. "[Varoufakis] was, in reality, more of a celebrity and less of an economist," Tsipras, 51, recalls.

He describes handpicking the maverick as his finance minister because of his international reputation and "extremely attractive" skills as a public orator. "I wanted to send the message of hard negotiation, but I underestimated the human factor," the memoir says. “Very quickly, Varoufakis turned from being an asset into a negative protagonist. Not only could our potential allies not stand him, neither could his own colleagues.”

In a chronicle of events that has sent ripples through Greece, Tsipras, who appears to be trying to stage a political comeback two years after renouncing the leadership of the Syriza party, said it was clear Varoufakis had a personal agenda that included promoting his books.