In a televised interview on Thursday, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced the official establishment of a new political party likely by September. He assured the public that the new party would participate in the next national elections, whenever those might be.
“We will be present at the next electoral contest, whenever it occurs. And I, too, will be present,” Tsipras stated during his appearance on ANT1, making it clear that the foundation of the party is now well underway. Explaining his decision to return to the political forefront, the former Prime Minister noted that there is an urgent need to fill the void in the political system and provide an alternative roadmap for the country.
“I cannot remain in convenient silence, hiding behind institutional comfort, while failing to see the major void in our political system and the need for a progressive, left-wing alternative. Thousands of citizens are telling me, ‘you must take responsibility,’ and I cannot simply sit on the backbenches,” he remarked.
Readiness for snap elections
When asked if his new party would be ready to run if Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were to call for snap elections now, Tsipras answered affirmatively. However, he admitted the party would not be as prepared as he would prefer, emphasizing that the founding processes must be accelerated in the upcoming months.
Tsipras commented that “under normal circumstances, Mr. Mitsotakis should have already called for elections.” He questioned the stability of a government that has seen 40 officials, ministers, and MPs resign over various scandals during its seven-year tenure. While he shared his personal assessment that Mitsotakis is unlikely to call elections soon, he acknowledged that he “could be proven wrong.”
Regarding the timeline, Tsipras confirmed that a launch “around September” is the most probable likelihood. “If things move smoothly, you won’t see any surprises in the immediate future. It will happen when we are ready—when the organizational processes have matured, and the people, the manifesto, and the policy positions have been solidified. We want to present a credible alternative for governing the country,” he declared.
Tsipras excludes incumbent members of parliament from his party
Crucially, Tsipras clarified that incumbent members of parliament will not have a place in his new party. “This effort is consciously designed to be born within society, not within the Parliament. It cannot begin with sitting MPs, as it would not have a Parliamentary Group,” he stated, adding, “It will be born within society, by society, and for society.” When pressed by the interviewer on whether a current MP would need to resign their seat to join, Tsipras replied firmly: “I think I was clear on that.”
He also emphasized that those who wish to join the new party must do so without conditions or prerequisites. “Everyone who wants to join and agrees with us is welcome, but there will be no reserved seats,” he noted.
Tsipras revealed that his new project will serve as a point of convergence for three distinct ideological streams: Radical Left, Social Democracy, and Political Ecology. “We want to have a vision and a proposal for the next day, but also realistic and sharp policy solutions,” he said. As an example, he cited the need for taxing extreme wealth, proposing a “patriotic contribution” on high incomes and excess profits.
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