Former Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos pointed out that, although Alexis Tsipras has re-emerged publicly, it remains unclear what strategy he is following and whether this is a new political initiative of the “Umbrella” type or a purely party formation. As he revealed speaking on SKAI radio, the two have not communicated since 2023. “Alexis has chosen a narrow circle of collaborators and I do not belong to it. Perhaps he believes that my analyses diverge from his objectives,” he said characteristically.
Referring to the former prime minister’s book, Mr. Tsakalotos noted that he does not know how he himself evaluates his work, reminding that he has already exercised self-criticism in his own book.
Tsakalotos: There is no center-left or center-right politics that addresses problems while simultaneously serving the elites
According to Mr. Tsakalotos, “during 2019-2023, Mr. Tsipras wanted a turn toward the center.” At the same time, he emphasized that the SYRIZA president must answer the crucial question: “Can we have social and economic stability without clashing with the wealthy and big companies like Big Tech? There is no center-left or center-right politics that addresses problems while simultaneously serving the elites.”
Mr. Tsakalotos also highlighted the conditions for removing the Mitsotakis government: “Mr. Tsipras must have the ability to win and the venture must be effective. Otherwise, there is a risk of the rise of Trump-type, Farage or AfD politicians.” He even wondered whether a leader like Tsipras can stop the rise of the far-right.
Commenting on the split of SYRIZA, Euclid Tsakalotos emphasized that the departure from the New Left was not only due to Kasselakis, but also to the “toxic climate” that developed after 2015, with personal attacks. “A Left that is not sectarian must be created, a formation that can discuss society’s needs in depth. I am interested in maintaining a current of ideas – a unifying, radical Left that has much to offer,” he noted.
“We believed that Greece’s exit from the Monetary Union would be catastrophic”
Finally, referring to the events of 2015, Mr. Tsakalotos admitted that the biggest mistake was communication: “We lost the communication game. I’m not referring to marketing, but to explaining to our people what we can and cannot do. We believed that Greece’s exit from the Monetary Union would be catastrophic and we did not understand Schäuble’s role.”
Regarding Yanis Varoufakis, he commented that he reminded him of “strong trade unionists who don’t know when to stop a strike, in order to capitalize on their gains.”
