New Democracy was also burned by the Macedonia issue when in power in the mid-1990s. A split between moderates and hardliners toppled the government of then-Prime Minister Constantinos Mitsotakis, and many of those who broke ranks then are now back in the party fold.
Now led by Mitsotakis's son, Kyriakos, the party takes an uncompromising public stance on the name issue, but observers say the same divisions which existed in the 1990s persist.
Some analysts even suggest Tsipras is primarily motivated in his name diplomacy by a desire to split New Democracy.
"It is a gamble which was not taken with the aim of closing an open diplomatic problem that troubles the country but as a tool to divide, at least initially, the opposition," Ifantis said.
In weekend consultations over the name, Tsipras failed to secure the support of any opposition party for the 'Ilinden Macedonia' proposal.
But for all the risks, a resolution of the name dispute could still ultimately help to boost Tsipras's popularity, said Costas Panagopoulos, head of the Alco polling agency.
"There will be reactions from the opposition, regardless of the name, this is clear," said Panagopoulos. "But in the long-term, a solution, despite the opposition and the initial protests... could not hurt Tsipras."
