With eye on re-election, Greek PM rolls dice on Macedonia

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras addresses lawmakers during a parliamentary session about government's negotiations with country's creditors in Athens, Greece, May 23, 2018. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is taking a big gamble in trying to settle a decades-old name dispute with neighbouring Macedonia which could backfire in a pre-election year among voters already jaded by his economic austerity policies.

With about 15 months until the next election is due, the 43-year-old leftist leader has already timed Greece's exit from its third international bailout for this summer in the hope that this will start to bolster his currently poor poll ratings.