The fact that polls are confirming Alexis Tsipras‘s decision to build a new party from scratch — with unknown faces and no reference points to the past — may be positive for him personally, but it is proving to be a deterrent for his former comrades. More specifically, for those from SYRIZA who appear willing to follow him, refusing to take part in the theater of the absurd currently playing out at the party’s Koumoundourou headquarters. Long before announcing his new party — back during the so-called “Ithaca” period — the former prime minister signaled that he has no intention of carrying SYRIZA’s problems into the new political movement. At the same time, he sent a clear message: anyone wishing to join him must first resign from their current party in order to formally and lawfully become a member of ELAS (Greek Left Alliance).
By all indications, the moment of independence for certain SYRIZA MPs has arrived. Sources indicate that in the days following the Central Committee meeting scheduled for next Saturday, most senior figures will walk out the door, on the basis that any decision running counter to Tsipras’s party no longer represents them.
SYRIZA MPs who choose to follow the former prime minister are expected to first declare their independence, and then, sometime around September, to formally resign in order to sign ELAS’s founding declaration. This scenario is particularly favorable in the event that Kyriakos Mitsotakis — contrary to everything he has said so far — decides to call elections in the autumn.
However, should the prime minister choose to serve out the full four-year term, stretching into spring 2027, things would not look particularly good for SYRIZA’s MPs, who would face mounting daily pressure to resign.
New faces take priority on ELAS ballot lists
At the same time, ELAS officials insist that even if someone resigns their SYRIZA parliamentary seat, this does not automatically guarantee them a place on the Greek Left Alliance’s electoral lists. In many regions, ELAS ballot lists are already taking shape with new members accounting for as much as 80% of candidates. SYRIZA officials are well aware of this, which is why they appear hesitant to make their next move without receiving at least a subtle signal or a quiet nod from the other side.
The SYRIZA MPs considering a break for independence
Alexandros Meikopoulos, Symeon Kedikoglou, Vassilis Kokkalis, and possibly Miltos Zamparas are said to be planning to resign after July 11th, while Giorgos Gavrilos has already stated he will not run under SYRIZA in the next election. Nevertheless, a growing rivalry appears to be emerging between new ELAS members and former SYRIZA MPs over who will ultimately win over voters.
For now, SYRIZA MPs find themselves in a difficult position — unable to present themselves as representatives of Alexis Tsipras at a time when left-wing voters are rallying in large numbers behind the new political venture.
The reality, however, is that these figures have personal voter bases, local political networks, and a track record they can showcase to constituents — advantages that the new ELAS members currently lack as they fight for visibility in television appearances and debate panels.
The “twin rivalries” taking shape across electoral districts
Inevitably, the most significant challenge likely to emerge during the elections will be the “twin rivalries” between old and new candidates in certain regions — particularly outside the major urban centers. In large cities, it is widely considered a near certainty that Tsipras will place his own people on the lists, given that urban voters tend to vote for the party rather than the individual. It is telling, for instance, that Efi Achtsioglou, who recently resigned from New Left, is being talked about as a candidate in Giannitsa — her home region — rather than in the Western Sector of Athens, where she previously stood for election.
Similarly, Marizeta Antonopoulou hails from Messinia, where Alexis Haritsis currently holds a seat. Haris Tzimitras, ELAS’s shadow foreign affairs spokesperson, is being mentioned as a potential candidate in Athens A’ constituency, running against Nasos Iliopoulos.
In the Northern Sector of Athens, several veteran figures are eyeing candidacies, including Kostas Zachariades, Athina Linou, and ELAS culture spokesperson Haris Mavroudes. ELAS education spokesperson Ioanna Laliotiou may find herself placed in the Southern Sector of Athens alongside Giannis Balatsouklas — if the latter does not run in Trikala — where they would face two powerful former SYRIZA figures: Dionysis Temboneras and Giannis Matzouranes. Laliotiou’s name is also being floated for Magnesia, a constituency where Alexandros Meikopoulos has been elected since 2012.
Vassilis Kokkalis and Apostolos Kalogiannais will battle it out in Larissa, Giorgos Karameros and Kostas Boumetis in Eastern Attica, while Giorgos Pappas and Andreas Panagiotopulos will compete in Achaia.
Miltos Zamparas and Grigoris Theodorakis are set to clash in Aetolia-Acarnania, though the latter is also being considered for Western Attica. In northern Greece, Katerina Notopoulou will face off against Antonis Saoulidis and Nektaria-Eleftheria Angelaki. Meanwhile, Haris Mamoulakis takes on Spiros Danellis in Heraklion, and Marina Kontotoli faces Giorgos Chaidos in Trikala.
Published in “Parapolitika”
