On Monday afternoon, Nikos Bistis and nine other officials of the party announced their departure from the New Left.

In their letter, they denounce being trapped “in endless navel-gazing about the ‘purity’ of the Left’s identity,” arguing that the decision of the recent congress “perpetuates a paralyzing balance and prepares the ground for a new crisis.”

They also point out that “there were only two clear points in the Congress decision: the targeted disapproval of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the rejection of any prospect of cooperation with the forces of the Center-Left.” They emphasize that “we neither want nor can serve this politically destructive choice. On the contrary, we are determined to actively contribute to the project of reconstituting the entirety of the Left, alongside the formation of a broader front of progressive forces, with credible and socially recognized leadership.”

Full resignation statement from ten members of the New Left Central Committee

There are moments when circumstances sweep away the small and insignificant and bring to the forefront the real, hard dilemmas. The duty of political parties—and especially of the left, that is, those who must act according to the interests of the popular classes—is to decode the stakes of each historical period and chart a course that tangibly improves the daily life of the social majority, transferring resources, power, and authority from the few to the many.

As founding members of the New Left, we had two main priorities from the start.

First, the need for the Left to break free from the dangerous phenomenon of “casselism,” something that became feasible through the decisive—after a certain point—stance of comrades from SYRIZA.

Second, the need to form a political entity that would act as a catalyst for the reconstitution and unity of the broader progressive space.

Serious resistance to this second strategic goal appeared early. Gradually, this resistance became the majority view within the party’s organs, leading to paralyzing stagnation and a peculiar political and organizational dualism. The President and the majority of the Parliamentary Group spoke the language of unity, while the Secretary and the majority of the Central Committee and Political Bureau worked exclusively for the reconstitution of the radical Left, rejecting any broader perspective.

At a historical moment when international and domestic developments demand the maximum possible unity of progressive forces, the popular classes are severely hit by the neoliberal policies of the Mitsotakis government, and new formations with deeply reactionary rhetoric are emerging, we refuse to be trapped in endless navel-gazing about the “purity” of the Left’s identity.

We are convinced that citizens are mobilized and vote not only based on identities, but mainly based on alignments: with plans, proposals, people, and collective prospects that concern them directly. We cannot allow Greece to follow the example of many European countries, where an aggressive, irrational Far-Right imposes its agenda on the conservative space, while the Left confines itself to the margins as a force of mere protest.

The Continuous Programmatic Congress was the last opportunity for the New Left. This opportunity was lost. Instead of resolving the deadlock, the Congress decision—which was interpreted completely differently by the two sides of the party from the very first night—perpetuates the paralyzing balance and prepares the ground for a new crisis.

All this unfolds amid a climate of generalized indifference and discontent among the Left, as clearly reflected in all polling data.

There were only two clear points in the Congress decision: the targeted disapproval of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the rejection of any prospect of cooperation with the forces of the Center-Left.

We neither want nor can serve this politically destructive choice. On the contrary, we are determined to actively contribute to the project of reconstituting the entirety of the Left, alongside the formation of a broader front of progressive forces, with credible and socially recognized leadership.

For all these reasons, we declare our departure from the New Left.

We will continue to work for a Left that is useful to society, capable of turning social discontent into collective force for change. For a combative and governing Left.

Signatories:
Stavros Akritidis
Spyros Varelis
Kaiti Theocharis
Polyvios Katsanis
Nikos Bistis
Sophia Pandi
Foteini Sianou
Aris Stylianou
Grigoris Tsaparelis
Petros Filippou