Tsipras blames Brexit on austerity, deficiencies in EU leadership

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attends the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, June 22, 2016. REUTERS/Jean-Marc Loos

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, whose own rebellion against European Union policy brought the bloc to a crisis last year, said on Saturday he did not blame the British people for voting to leave but rather EU leaders.

Speaking to his leftist Syriza party's central committee, Tsipras blamed the Brexit outcome on the "chronic deficiencies" of European leaders and their insistence on austerity policies that fed populism and nationalism.