A shift in the political landscape, new strategies at party headquarters, and a first wave of opinion polls already causing political tremors are shaping the scene just hours after Alexis Tsipras once again put on the mantle of party leader, this time of “ELAS.” At the Maximos Mansion, they view the return of the former prime minister as a development that mainly changes the balance within the center-left space, without threatening New Democracy’s dominance.

Mitsotakis’ message

The first polls reinforce this assessment. In the Real Polls survey for Protagon, New Democracy remains first with 27.5% in voting intention and 29.1% in vote projection, while Tsipras’ party immediately appears in second place with 14.1% and 16.1% respectively, leaving behind both PASOK and the other opposition parties. This picture is confirmed in the Interview poll for POLITIC, where Alexis Tsipras’ party also rises to second place, with PASOK falling from 13.5% in April to 12.3% in May.

In the same poll, SYRIZA essentially shows signs of collapse, dropping from 3.1% to 0.5%.

Given these figures, government officials believe Tsipras’ return mainly “cannibalizes” the center-left space and revives old rivalries among opposition parties. From the ygeiamou and Proto Thema conference, Kyriakos Mitsotakis signaled the line the government intends to follow, choosing to associate the new political initiative with the SYRIZA governing period.

“Whether this will be SYRIZA with a new tax ID or something different, we do not know. What I heard yesterday seemed to me like a spectacular dive into the past,” the prime minister commented, while elsewhere noting that “all new parties say Mitsotakis and the government must go. That does not constitute an alternative political proposal.” With clear sarcasm, he also commented on the choice of the name “ELAS,” saying: “He left EAM to Mr. Polakis. He kept only ELAS.”

Reverse gear and civil-war-era mishmash

The government believes the main political confrontation will revolve around the dilemma “stability or return to the past,” with government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis openly speaking on Open TV about a “rebranding” without any substantial change in content.

“They simply changed the wrapping,” the government spokesperson said, accusing the former prime minister of reviving “the most divisive and backward-looking slogans of yesterday.”

“Mr. Tsipras is investing in reverse gear. In going backward,” he remarked characteristically.

Of particular interest is the stance of Adonis Georgiadis, who appears to recognize the former prime minister’s political stature, though believing his momentum has limits.

“I always liked Tsipras as an opponent. He has a certain shine, a certain style; you respect him as an opponent,” he said on Proto Thema’s “Dividing Lines” program with Angelos Moschovas.

He also predicted that “Tsipras will come second,” though “nothing earth-shattering.” Speaking on Real FM, however, the health minister argued that “Tsipras cannot change,” referring to a “civil-war-era mishmash” and estimating that “if he had made a centrist turn, he would have been a serious challenge for Mitsotakis.”

Double headache for Nikos and Zoe

What causes the greatest concern at Harilaou Trikoupi is that Alexis Tsipras appears, at least in the first measurements, to be quickly reclaiming the role of the main pole opposing New Democracy. The pressure on PASOK is already reflected in the polls. In Real Polls, Nikos Androulakis’ party is limited to 8.6% in voting intention and 9.6% in vote projection, while in the Interview poll it loses more than one percentage point within a month.

In this environment came the particularly sharp reaction from Nikos Androulakis, who — without naming Alexis Tsipras — spoke of a “one-man show and expensive communication campaigns.”

“Society has no need for bad imitators,” he noted, adding that “the country needs politically autonomous figures who do not have patrons and sponsors.” Officials at Harilaou Trikoupi believe the major problem is not only the regrouping of part of SYRIZA’s old electoral base, but also the fact that Maria Karystianou’s “Hope for Democracy” maintains independent momentum.

In Real Polls, Maria Karystianou’s party is recorded in third place with 11.4%, while in the Interview poll it appears at 7.5%, showing small losses but maintaining clear political influence.

The same polls are also causing concern in Course of Freedom. Zoe Konstantopoulou now sees voters leaking both toward Alexis Tsipras and toward Maria Karystianou, with her party dropping to 3.7% in Real Polls and 4.5% in vote projection.

It is no coincidence that the leader of Course of Freedom chose a harsh personal attack against Alexis Tsipras, referring to his “U-turn” and saying that “a former prime minister is returning who violated the most sacred mandate of the referendum.”

Turbulence on the Left

Tsipras’ return is also causing upheaval within the broader Left itself. In SYRIZA, party bodies are meeting during the week, while in New Left new MP defections are considered possible.

Rena Dourou called for “rapid decisions to be taken,” rejecting scenarios of self-dissolution, while Pavlos Polakis declared from the parliamentary podium that “I was and from today I remain SYRIZA.”

For his part, Giannis Sarakiotis left the door open for alignment, saying that “if I did not identify with Alexis Tsipras, I would not have been a candidate with him three times,” while Gavriil Sakellaridis called for “quick and clear decisions.”

In the other parties, reactions were also sharp. The Communist Party (KKE) spoke of a “presentation of personal credentials to the system,” although the party’s youth wing welcomed ELAS with a humorous video.

Kyriakos Velopoulos commented sarcastically that “since he named his party ELAS, he might as well name its youth wing MAT,” while NIKI accused the former prime minister of “daring to use the sacred word ELAS.”