Quote of the week
Thousands took to the streets of Athens on Sunday night as Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party claimed victory in Greece's general election and promised to renegotiate the country’s €240bn debt mountain.
Tsipras said, "Greece leaves behind it the austerity that caused its destruction. It leaves behind it fear and intimidation, it leaves behind it five years of humiliation and grief. Greece advances with hope, with dignity and steady steps towards a changing Europe."
Olive branch of the week
Juncker's message of support to Tsipras' "extremist forces" that benefited from the "wrong election result" in Greece.
Flashback to December
Juncker said in remarks carried by Austrian broadcaster ORF…
"I assume that the Greeks - who don't have an easy life, above all the many poor people - know very well what a wrong election result would mean for Greece and the euro zone."
"I won't express my own opinion. I just wouldn't like extremist forces to take the wheel.
"I would like Greece to be governed by people with an eye on and a heart for the many little people in Greece -- and there are many -- and also understand the necessity of European processes."
Bad loser of the week - Former Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras
Breaking with tradition, Samaras refused to attend the swearing-in of his successor and had a few surprises in store for Tsipras when he arrived at his new residence.
The prime minister’s official residence, the Maximos Mansion, was left without power, wi-fi passwords and bathroom soap.
An employee of the prime minister’s office told Der Spiegel: "We sit in the dark. We have no internet, no email, no way to communicate with each other."
Latvian interlude - State of the EUnion
Everyone's favourite EU council presidency was at it again this week with some more inspiring advice. Never change Latvian EU council presidency, never change - and keep being yourself, in life and in dance.
Diplomatic dance?
Back to Greece... As EU politicians expressed shock at the decision of the new Greek government to keep their promises, Tsipras has promised to bring a new approach to negotiations. He must be taking lessons from the Latvian EU presidency!
Greeks bearing gifts?
The ever diplomatic European parliament president, Martin Schulz, gave his reaction to the new Greek coalition government.
"I must say I am not only surprised, I am shocked. The coalition in Athens is as if Die Linke would make a coalition with the AFD in Germany."
You didn’t hear it from us!
With Greece's parliamentary elections out of the way, the focus shifts to who will become the country’s next president. The three round election will get underway in February.
Therefore, PMHQ engages in some completely unsubstantiated speculation.
Our hot favourite is Dimitris Avramopoulos, European commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship.
And finally…
The prize for topical photoshop effort of the week goes to The Huffington Post for ‘Greece is the Worst’.