SYRIZA reverses support for Tsipras’ ELAS party at extraordinary meeting
Leftist SYRIZA has reversed its decision to support former prime minister Alexis Tsipras’ newly launched Greek Left Alliance (ELAS), following an extraordinary party meeting on Saturday amid internal divisions and a leadership crisis.
The meeting, held on the initiative of key party figures Pavlos Polakis, Rena Dourou and Nikos Pappas, also reportedly decided to cancel Polakis’ expulsion from SYRIZA’s parliamentary group.
Polakis, who was expelled about two months ago following a public clash with then-party leader Sokratis Famellos, confirmed on Saturday that he would run for the party leadership.
Saturday’s session came after SYRIZA had decided a day earlier to postpone the meeting until Monday following Famellos’ resignation as party leader. Famellos stepped down on Thursday as SYRIZA faces mounting internal tensions and questions over its political future.
Tsipras, who served as SYRIZA prime minister from 2015 to 2019 and resigned as party leader in 2023, returned to frontline politics just over a month ago with the launch of ELAS.
According to opinion polls, ELAS has overtaken socialist PASOK to become the country’s second-strongest party, while SYRIZA’s support has fallen below the 3% threshold required for parliamentary representation.
The broader Greek left has become increasingly fragmented in recent years, with support divided among several smaller parties.
According to a SYRIZA statement, the political secretariat will continue its meeting next week to begin the process of electing a new leader and to plan the convening of the central committee.
Kathimerini
