The question of leadership took center stage at the Central Committee meeting of SYRIZA, with Pavlos Polakis calling for the election of a party leader and the holding of a congress by January or February, while Rena Dourou and Nikos Pappas defended the collective leadership model and stressed the need to stay the course on the party’s existing plan.
Pavlos Polakis renewed his proposal — which he had previously put forward in the Political Secretariat — arguing that the party needs a single leader capable of making critical decisions. Rena Dourou, for her part, described collective leadership as a “deeply left-wing choice,” while Nikos Pappas made clear that any change of direction would require a formal decision by the Central Committee. Notably, out of a total of 170 Central Committee members, Polakis’ proposal to hold a congress and elect a party leader received just 30 votes in favor, 52 against, and 4 abstentions.
Polakis: “This isn’t working” – calls for grassroots election of a party leader
Pavlos Polakis argued that the current situation demands clear leadership and concrete decision-making, while clarifying that he does not reject collective party functioning altogether — but insists that a single leader is essential. “Someone has to make the critical decisions,” he said, describing the situation within SYRIZA as a matter of political survival.
He went on to compare the party’s polling performance before and after the adoption of collective leadership, arguing that there has been no growth in the party’s influence. “We’re talking about a survival situation here. When we had Famellos saying that SYRIZA voters should vote for another party, we were polling at 1.2%. Now, under collective leadership, our polling average is 1.44%. We moved to collective leadership to overturn Famellos’ outrageous proposal — and we did. But the party’s influence is not growing,” he said.
Polakis also expressed the view that neither Alexis Tsipras nor Nikos Androulakis can build majority currents within the Greek left, arguing that their platforms fail to reflect the real needs and demands of ordinary people.
He proposed holding a congress in January to declare candidacies and elect a new party leader and Central Committee within a single week. “I don’t think this is working. Tsipras and Androulakis cannot become majority currents because they don’t have a platform that reflects popular needs and demands. The potential is there — but we need a congress in January, a congress to declare candidacies. And within one week we need to elect a leader and a Central Committee. That could reverse the party’s trajectory. Otherwise, this cannot be turned around,” he stressed.
Dourou: Collective leadership is a “deeply left-wing choice”
A contrasting position was put forward by the chair of SYRIZA’s parliamentary group, Rena Dourou, who defended the June decision to adopt collective leadership, calling it a “deeply left-wing choice.” She expressed confidence that SYRIZA would be represented in the next parliament, stressing that the party’s political opposition must go beyond simply calling for the departure of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “It’s not enough for Kyriakos Mitsotakis to go — the politics of the right must be defeated,” she said.
She also sent a message of political continuity, noting that the party remains active despite predictions from those who believed it had already run its course. “SYRIZA is still here, despite the forecasts of those who were quick to write us off and despite the efforts of those who sought to outlaw it without SYRIZA itself having any say. Our political usefulness is not measured by the seats we occupy, but by our struggles and our contribution to society. SYRIZA was created to change people’s lives,” she said.
Dourou’s pointed remarks about the previous leadership era
Rena Dourou made indirect reference to the party’s previous period, speaking of political ambiguity that, she argued, had shrunk SYRIZA’s parliamentary presence and damaged its internal cohesion. “We put an end to a period of political ambiguity that diminished our parliamentary presence and wounded our party. Individuals bear responsibility — but so do we, because we tolerated mindsets that were alien to the left. We allowed the ‘I’ to displace the ‘we’,” she noted.
She went on to criticize the personality-driven approach to party politics, emphasizing that SYRIZA needs engaged members and collective decision-making. “Since when did party loyalty become synonymous with identifying with whoever happens to be leader? We don’t need more saviors — we need comrades. We got used to crediting victories to a single leader and defeats to everyone else. We want a party with leadership, not an owner; with a middle ground; with members who decide, not followers waiting for instructions. Collectivity was not and is not a choice born of defeat or a refuge for the weak — it is the political self-confidence of a party that does not make its existence dependent on the ambitions or vanities of certain individuals,” she said.
Pappas: “We must not change course”
SYRIZA’s secretary, Nikos Pappas, addressed Pavlos Polakis’ proposal for a grassroots election of a new party leader ahead of the next general election, to be preceded by a congress in January. Pappas noted that if the Central Committee decided to move in that direction, a central organizing committee for the congress would need to be established and the party’s existing schedule revised. “If the Central Committee decides to go ahead, we will need to set up a central congress organizing committee in order to hold a congress in January — and to change the plan. We cannot leave such a matter unresolved,” he said.
He also warned that any attacks against SYRIZA would be met with a firm response, making clear that those who choose to go down that path will bear the corresponding political cost.
Pappas targets independent MPs: “They must hand back their seats”
Nikos Pappas directed criticism at MPs who left to sit as independents, with pointed remarks also aimed at Alexis Tsipras. He argued that the retention of parliamentary seats by those who departed is undermining SYRIZA’s ability to function effectively in parliament.
“Some people are holding onto their seats as if they were personal property, depriving SYRIZA of its strength and rights. For example, in a few days a bill on restaurant service workers is coming up — we will need 15 MPs to call for a roll-call vote. Who is denying us that parliamentary capability, so that the Greek people can know how their representatives in other parties and among the independents voted on this critical issue? Those who have left must hand back their seats. If Alexis Tsipras accepts them, he will bear half the responsibility for this shameful practice. It would be a blatant act of disrespect toward our party,” he said.
SYRIZA’s record and criticism over the economy
In his address, the party’s secretary also reviewed the initiatives SYRIZA has undertaken during its period of reorganization. He referenced the party’s proposals on housing, the restoration of the 13th pension payment, the return of the public electricity utility DEI to state control, and the repeal of the Pierrakakis law on private universities.
“Some people question whether SYRIZA still has a voice and a role. Who else has put forward proposals on housing? Who called for the return of the 13th pension? Who raised the issue of bringing DEI back under public control? Who spoke out for repealing the Pierrakakis law — rather than just talking about legal certainty — when it comes to private universities? That is the SYRIZA that has entered the fight. We have bled to be here today. Everything we have done has been to strengthen SYRIZA and the left. I hope everyone has understood that the previous period is over,” he said.
Nikos Pappas also criticized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis over his recent comments about available fiscal space, and called on PASOK and Alexis Tsipras’ party to reconsider their economic programs.
“Yesterday the prime minister said that Greece has fiscal space. Who has he been fooling for the past six months by denying it? We call on PASOK and Alexis Tsipras’ party to revise their economic programs. We will not adapt our economic program to suit Mr. Mitsotakis’ communication needs,” he said.
He also reiterated that SYRIZA’s organizational rebuilding must be completed by the end of the year, with particular emphasis on Attica, where a large share of the party’s disaffected voters are concentrated.
Cooperation offer to New Left remains on the table
In closing, Nikos Pappas addressed SYRIZA’s relations with other center-left forces. He recalled that following the European elections, SYRIZA had proposed the formation of a strong joint electoral list — a proposal that was rejected by PASOK — and also commented on Alexis Tsipras’ recent public statements about the party.
He noted that Tsipras’ stated respect for SYRIZA represents a shift from his previous position that the party had completed its historical cycle. He also pointed to what he described as substantive differences on issues such as the 13th pension, private universities, and fiscal policy.
The SYR
