The congress that began yesterday is decisive for the future of New Left, as by Sunday evening the party leadership will know whether they will continue moving forward together or if each faction will go its separate way.
The main issue dividing New Left leadership is the question of alliances, with Alexis Charitsis appearing open to cooperation even with Alexis Tsipras, contrary to the “Umbrella” faction leadership who follow a hard line and believe any alliance should not involve the former prime minister, but rather parties to their left. The second view is expressed by party secretary Gabriel Sakellaridis, as well as Euclid Tsakalotos, Panos Skourletis, and Nikos Filis.
Break or restart for New Left? The crucial congress and scenarios for Tsipras
The “Popular Front” group – representing Charitsis’s position – has a large majority in the parliamentary group – including Efi Achtsioglou, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, Nasos Iliopoulos, Theano Fotiou, Meropi Tzoufi, and Ferhat Ozgul – but remains a minority in the Central Committee. Nikos Bistis is expected to take a separate path in his address, demanding clear solutions from the congress.
The delegates’ positions beginning today will show which direction the party will take and whether there is room for Alexis Charitsis’s proposal to pass. In his opening speech at the congress, the party president referred to the need to form an electoral pole that would include all forces of the Left and left-wing Social Democracy, in order to defeat the Right and Far Right that is being shaped from the beginning, in the form of “Trumpism.”
Cooperation with Alexis Tsipras remains open possibility
“After Alexis Tsipras’s appearance in Athens, when everyone was talking about balconies and other such nonsense, we showed that the only way is through political dialogue and substantive criticism. I listen to the argument, I engage in discussion, I clearly state my opinion. I don’t lower the flag of criticism, but I don’t hide behind the flag either to say ‘I won’t discuss,'” noted the New Left president characteristically, effectively opening discussion within his party about cooperation with the former prime minister.
With this reference, Alexis Charitsis leaves open the possibility of cooperation with Alexis Tsipras, which means he has decided to remain in his position, despite the opposite approach the majority of the party apparatus has on the issue of alliances. “Elections are not the end of the world. But the next elections in Greece could mean the country’s definitive synchronization with the global reactionary regime,” noted Mr. Charitsis. At another point he mentioned: “In today’s conditions we don’t have the luxury of simply keeping the lamp lit. We must confront head-on the domestic Trumpism project. Because the Right’s plan is one (…): there is one and only one party of power, Trump’s party. Well, we can’t let them!”
A little earlier, he made extensive reference to the new order of things being formed internationally, in the era of Donald Trump, emphasizing that “we don’t have a reformation of the world order. We have a global regime change. We are facing the fascism of our time.” He also connected the international situation with Greek political reality and posed the dilemma to the delegates: “Will Kyriakos Mitsotakis have a third chance? Yes or no?”, emphasized the New Left president.
Charitsis: Fierce attack on Mitsotakis
The New Left president attacked the prime minister fiercely, arguing that “Mr. Mitsotakis today claims one thing: to convince that he and his party are the genuine representatives of the Trumpism agenda. This is how he will claim legitimacy.” He also referred to the person of the day, namely Maria Karystianou, whom he included in the reactionary, Trumpist camp. “The reactionary agenda knows no borders. It permeates society. The recent example with Mrs. Karystianou’s statements shows this clearly. Instead of discussing how to expand rights in the 21st century, discussion reopens about fundamental rights and the great achievements of our democracy,” noted Mr. Charitsis.
