Tsipras, Greek bailout PM who lost final gamble

Alexis Tsipras's dream of leading Greece into the post-bailout era came crashing down on Sunday as his leftist Syriza party lost by a landslide to the conservative New Democracy party.

In a defeat blamed by analysts on a middle-class revolt against heavy taxation, Tsipras leaves the post as the longest-running PM in the country's decade-long crisis.

After winning a series of gambles -- including an austerity referendum, resignation and re-election in 2015, and a confidence vote as recently as May -- his luck finally ran out.

"We took difficult decisions and today we paid the political cost," a chastened Tsipras said in a concession speech.

"We will work hard to make this defeat a temporary one," he said, adding that his party would "dynamically" resist efforts to roll back labour rights.

Tsipras tried everything to avert defeat. He warned voters that a victory by the conservative opposition New Democracy party would bring back the hated IMF from which he had just "liberated" the ...