Greek PM announces to resign to pave way for snap polls

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said he would resign on Thursday to pave the way for early elections, saying it was up to Greeks to judge whether he adequately represented them in a battle with foreign lenders on austerity demands. "The political mandate of the January 25 elections has exhausted its limits and now the Greek people have to have their say," Tsipras said in a televised address. Fresh from clinching a bailout deal, Tsipras opted for early elections to consolidate his position after nearly a third of lawmakers from his Syriza party refused to back the programme in parliament last week, robbing him of a guaranteed political majority. (Reporting by Michele Kambas and Greg Roumeliotis, Writing by Deepa Babington; editing by David Stamp)