With time counting down for Alexis Tsipras’ book “Ithaca” to hit bookstore shelves, the government, political parties, and even old intraparty rivals of the former prime minister are sharpening their knives. The government because it obviously realizes it will face a potential political opponent, PASOK because it fears defections to Tsipras’ side, and his former comrades because even today they are still searching for what unites them and what divides them from Alexis Tsipras. Moreover, at Charilaou Trikoupi street there is concern that Alexis Tsipras’ return might establish him as a “bipolar” force with Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Such a development would push PASOK out of the game, which remains low in polls and below the “potential” Tsipras party.
All eyes focused on the final chapter of Tsipras’ “Ithaca”
Most, however, have their eyes fixed on the book’s final chapter, where Alexis Tsipras will speak about his vision, the country’s next day, while also giving his political stance. However, this process affects more the parties of the Left and Center-Left, basically the parties related to Alexis Tsipras, namely SYRIZA and New Left. Yesterday’s farewell to Alekos Flambouraris brought the two sides even closer, as after a long period, officials from all sides found themselves in the same space. Even those who had exchanged harsh words in the past found themselves talking about the man who united the Left.
Yesterday, in his interview, the SYRIZA president referred once again to the cooperation of progressive forces, saying he submitted this proposal last January on the occasion of the President of the Republic’s election. And he added: “After Alexis Tsipras’ resignation we made a decision saying we owe it, we must converge with the entire progressive space, obviously including Alexis Tsipras, much more so when the proposal has been addressed to both Mr. Androulakis and Mr. Charitsis. This proposal includes others too, it includes the ecological green space, it includes Petros Kokkalis’ “Cosmos,” it includes the dialogue that Ms. Katseli often develops with very good results, Mr. Kotzias, but also other progressive forces or movements.” For New Left, the prospect of alliance with both Tsipras and not only with SYRIZA and PASOK, as proposed by Charitsis, has brought a real chasm within the party.
Gabriel Sakellaridis and those around him, namely Euclid Tsakalotos, Panos Skourletis, Nikos Filis, Dimitris Vitsas, Thodoris Dritsas, do not discuss such a possibility. Both sides, however, are making an appointment at the congress to decide who they will go with and who they will leave behind.
