Pavlos Polakis is now history for SYRIZA, say associates of party president Sokratis Famellos, who appear determined not to give the whole story any continuation. However, as much as they may wish it, the Chania MP is not expected to sit with folded arms. Sources say he will continue his attacks against the party president, while a statement from his supporters is expected, declaring that Pavlos Polakis’s expulsion from the party is invalid. After the initial shock, the Chania MP appeared yesterday to respond to Koumoundourou’s argument that since he participates in the Central Committee and Political Secretariat ex officio, from the moment he was expelled from the party, he ceases to be a party member, since he is not elected.
SYRIZA: Polakis continues attacks on Famellos
Pavlos Polakis, in his post, responded: “What is being heard about my non-participation in the Political Secretariat and Central Committee is nonsense without any basis! Nowhere does the new constitution describe different rights or obligations of elected CE members on one hand and ex officio MP members on the other. I left the Parliamentary Group based on a decision by Sokratis Famellos, which is based on Parliament Rules, not on party regulations for the Parliamentary Group’s operation.” He added: “I was elected to the Political Secretariat by VOTE from the Central Committee, following a proposal by Famellos!”
It should be noted, however, that the Central Supervisory Committee, in its announcement on January 7, 2025, had stated that 30 ex officio positions are provided for MPs and MEPs. That is, the MPs had not been elected. Of course, the whole story is a matter of interpretation, as each side gives its own explanation on the issue. The dominant issue is that Pavlos Polakis has decided, whenever the bodies are convened, to go to participate, while the other side excludes it.
Regarding the ethics committee, it is unknown if it will be convened, since, for now, there is no request for Pavlos Polakis’s expulsion. Meanwhile, Sokratis Famellos, for his part, is expected to give two interviews to explain the reasons why he placed Pavlos Polakis outside the party.
SYRIZA’s press office director, Christos Kypitzis, in his interview, referring to Polakis’s expulsion from the party’s parliamentary group, spoke of “an insulting post against Sokratis Famellos. The implication that the president has a hidden agenda and other interests than those voted by the central committee, or implements decisions that have not been taken in the central committee and political secretariat, is unfounded.”
“We want reconnection of progressive forces”
Indeed, when asked if Pavlos Polakis will soon participate in SYRIZA’s Political Secretariat, he stated: “He participated in the Central Committee and therefore in the Political Secretariat as an ex officio MP. From the moment he is not a SYRIZA MP, he is not a member of the Central Committee either. This is what the constitution says,” he conveyed. Interesting, however, was also his position on the question of whether Sokratis Famellos would accept going to a party under Alexis Tsipras. Mr. Kypitzis replied: “Sokratis Famellos does not do politics for the chair.” “We say there must be understanding. If we manage to find common ground, everyone will be satisfied. We, for a year and a half now, have said we want the reconnection of progressive forces,” he added.
Obviously, SYRIZA’s crisis has to do with the two different views that exist on the issue concerning cooperation with Alexis Tsipras. The majority view, which was also expressed in all the bodies’ decisions, spoke of cooperation with all progressive forces and with Alexis Tsipras. Based on these decisions, many Koumoundourou officials had positioned themselves positively in favor of Tsipras’s venture, while also holding joint events with Nikos Kotzias and Louka Katseli.
The officials who know that Alexis Tsipras will leave them out – Pavlos Polakis, Nikos Pappas, Rena Dourou – obviously do not want whatever cooperation emerges with the former prime minister. Pavlos Polakis, indeed, criticized several of the initiatives that Alexis Tsipras had taken, with particularly caustic tone, something that had been particularly commented on by his comrades.
The most important issue, however, was what would happen to SYRIZA in case the majority decided to align with Tsipras’s party, given that the former prime minister does not wish to cooperate with parties, but only with personalities. In this case, obviously, Pavlos Polakis would attempt to take the party in order to run in elections against Alexis Tsipras, with all that this means politically and morally.
