One of the many defining traits of Konstantinos Karamanlis was his workaholic nature. “Any minister who wants a vacation should resign,” was his famous line whenever cabinet members asked when they could take time off. This is the model that Rena Dourou wants to emulate, sending a clear message to SYRIZA officials and MPs that there will be no summer vacation in August. At most, a few long weekends — and even those will be combined with party work and meetings with local stakeholders. SYRIZA simply has no time to waste. On the contrary, Dourou is determined to make up for lost ground from the previous period — and above all, to put an end to the prevailing mindset of “we’re in SYRIZA, but we vote ELAS.”
SYRIZA’s new normal and the break from Alexis Tsipras
In practice, the party is working to cut the umbilical cord with its former leader. A symbolic example was the removal of Tsipras’s portrait from the walls of the party’s Koumoundourou headquarters, where his image no longer appears anywhere in the building. The same applies to party staffers and figures who were part of SYRIZA’s think tank and “had a foot in both boats,” as well as journalists working in the party’s media outlets who had been vocal cheerleaders for the former prime minister. The message being sent in every direction is clear: the party has defined boundaries, it is not an open field, and it will move forward with those who believe in its principles and history. In practical terms, what the new leader of SYRIZA’s Parliamentary Group is trying to do is get the party functioning on the basis of basic normality — with active party organs, daily presence, task assignments, and so on. SYRIZA’s advantage is that it has now sorted out its finances, allowing it to run a strong campaign with events, rallies, and a powerful social media presence, while keeping both its party workers and the journalists employed at its radio station and newspaper satisfied. And the return to party normality is the obvious path forward.
Efklidis Tsakalotos remains cautious, particularly due to the presence of Pavlos Polakis in SYRIZA and what he represents, while Gavriil Sakellaridis “flirts” with Varoufakis’s MeRA25 — much to Koumoundourou’s concern
Rena Dourou: SYRIZA’s big bet is on political alliances
The big gamble for Dourou is building political alliances. She has already held official talks and reached an agreement with the Green Ecologists, while also stepping up contacts with prominent figures such as former ministers Nikos Kotzias and Giorgos Stathakis. In any case, Dourou’s guiding principle is that alliances must be built on programmatic convergence — not on the basis of personal vetoes or the logic of “let’s cooperate, but not with so-and-so.” It is clear that in the first phase, the leader of SYRIZA’s Parliamentary Group is looking toward the New Left, with sources insisting that pressure will intensify from SYRIZA figures — particularly Rena Dourou and Nikos Pappas — on their former comrades to enter into cooperation.
Papadimoulis, Filis, Skourletis and Voutsis back SYRIZA – New Left cooperation
According to the same sources, veteran left-wing figures such as Dimitris Papadimoulis, Nikos Filis, Panos Skourletis, and Nikos Voutsis appear to view such a prospect as entirely natural and politically logical. After all, as is widely acknowledged, it is also the most realistic path forward for both parties, which are currently facing very difficult polling numbers.
Pressure is intensifying from SYRIZA figures, particularly from Rena Dourou and Nikos Pappas, on their former comrades to enter into cooperation
Peti Perka and Sia Anagnostopoulou in the frame for SYRIZA contacts
According to the same sources, the former leader of the New Left’s Parliamentary Group, Peti Perka, would not be opposed to dialogue with SYRIZA, while the stance taken by Sia Anagnostopoulou is also expected to play a significant role.
Efklidis Tsakalotos: reservations about cooperating with SYRIZA
Efklidis Tsakalotos appears more cautious, particularly due to the presence of Pavlos Polakis in SYRIZA and what he represents. From Koumoundourou, the response is that the issue is not a discussion about one figure or another, but whether there is common ground for a programmatic dialogue.
Gavriil Sakellaridis: putting the brakes on SYRIZA – New Left bridges
The one who does not appear receptive to building bridges of cooperation with Koumoundourou is New Left secretary Gavriil Sakellaridis, who refers to SYRIZA as a tarnished brand in the eyes of public opinion when speaking with his interlocutors. Despite a clear position from Varoufakis that he does not entertain the idea of MeRA25 cooperating with the New Left, Sakellaridis continues to push for this prospect. Figures from the broader left-wing space who know the personalities and dynamics involved believe that his stance could ultimately lead him — personally, and close to the time of the next election — to join Varoufakis’s party.
Published in Parapolitika
