ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's prime minister warned rebels in his radical left Syriza party Wednesday that he would have to call early elections if they keep opposing key reforms demanded for a new international bailout.

Alexis Tsipras insisted that he has no wish to go to the polls, which would put the country through more political uncertainty, potentially hurting the economy at a crucial point in its struggle to stabilize.

But he added: "If I don't have the parliamentary majority I will be forced to go to elections."

In an interview with Syriza's Sto Kokkino radio station, Tsipras said that he wants to hold a party congress in September, once the vital bailout deal is sealed, to decide on the party's future. Tsipras and his Syriza party came to power only in January with a four-year mandate.

Representatives of Greece's creditors — its European Union partners and the International Monetary Fund — are currently meeting officials in Athens to discuss the terms of the new bailout, designed to provide 85 billion euros over three years.

Tsipras was elected on a staunchly anti-austerity platform that resonated with Greeks hard-hit by five years of tough income cuts and spending hikes demanded by international creditors in return for the rescue loans that kept the country afloat.

But his attempts to negotiate a better deal fell flat, and Greece was forced on July 12 to accept further harsh cutbacks, including hikes in the sales tax on key consumer goods. Anti-austerity hardliners in Syriza did not back two initial packages of reforms this month that were demanded by creditors to start talks on the new lifeline — Greece's third since 2010.

The reforms were approved in parliament with the support of pro-European opposition parties, but the revolt called the government's survival into question.

Tsipras has taken no action so far against rebel lawmakers, although he criticized their stance Wednesday and said they should step down if they disagree.

"It is too surreal to say that 'I vote against the government's proposals but support the government'" he said.