The confrontation that has erupted within Greece’s New Left over the issue of political cooperation and Alexis Tsipras appears irreversible. The party’s president, Alexis Charitsis, and the secretary, Gabriel Sakellaridis, are publicly crossing swords over whether they should collaborate with Alexis Tsipras, as he is the “elephant in the room” that everyone is talking about.
Clash escalates in New Left over Tsipras cooperation
Following yesterday’s post by Alexis Charitsis, who appeared to insist on holding a referendum with a single question about cooperation – meaning with SYRIZA and presumably with Tsipras’ rumored party – the party secretary Gabriel Sakellaridis responded with his own post, conveying that the congress will take place and all issues will be discussed and decided there.
“In the New Left, we all share a common concern. To contribute in the most effective way to overthrowing Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ policies and create the conditions for society to get back on its feet.
Where we disagree is on how we respond to this challenge. The real question is not ‘whether we want unity of the entire progressive space against Mitsotakis.’ This is a beautified scheme to smooth over the real question, which is this: Do we really believe that cooperation between the New Left and today’s SYRIZA and the —if it eventually emerges— party of A. Tsipras can succeed in mobilizing people against the Right’s hegemony?
Because that’s the elephant in the room, to call things by their names. Can such a joint ballot create the terms for forming a new majority?“
The New Left secretary insists that the New Left must play a leading role in the reconstruction of the Left in the country and sets a date for the party’s 1st congress, which will take place on January 22–25.
The truth is that it’s now very difficult for the two sides to come closer together, as Alexis Charitsis and the majority of the parliamentary group want cooperation with SYRIZA and potentially with Alexis Tsipras, while at the same time the radical wing of the New Left is flirting with MeRA25.
However, sources insist that Yanis Varoufakis has decided not to cooperate with any of the former SYRIZA ministers, namely Euclid Tsakalotos, Panos Skourletis, and Nikos Filis. The only one he accepts is Gabriel Sakellaridis, who left the Tsipras government early.
