Tsipras’ full comeback to the political stage is acting as a powerful accelerator of developments on the opposition side, as the creation of the Hellenic Left Alliance (ELAS) is dramatically changing the situation in at least three parliamentary blocs.

Events following the Thiseio gathering and the founding declaration of the new political body under the former prime minister are now unfolding at breakneck speed, while after yesterday’s resignation of Petros Kokkalis from the “Cosmos” movement, today MPs and members of the New Left have taken over the spotlight.

The background

Although the independent move of six New Left MPs, as well as the resignation of Efi Achtsioglou from her parliamentary seat, had been in the works for months due to a shift in direction within the party and its more radical turn, Tsipras’ political re-emergence significantly accelerated developments.

The New Left had been formed as a “refuge” following Stefanos Kasselakis’ rise to leadership of SYRIZA-PS after Tsipras’ departure. However, in the meantime its ideological and political orientation shifted, leading to the resignation of Alexis Charitsis from the party leadership.

This was the first strong signal that a rupture was imminent, given that Charitsis had supported cooperation among progressive forces under a “popular front” strategy, which was not adopted by the party majority. Instead, the majority of New Left party organs recently pushed for a more radical direction, expressed in the leadership of Gabriel Sakellaridis, who is said to have built bridges with MeRA25 and Yanis Varoufakis.

The key question

Against this backdrop, it was almost inevitable for former ministers of Tsipras to mobilise following his return, which is why they waited a few days before revealing their intentions—after the founding of the new political entity, the Hellenic Left Alliance (ELAS).

However, this does not mean that “transfers” to Tsipras’ party will happen instantly. This is especially true since the former ministers of the SYRIZA-PS government (Charitsis, Achtsioglou, Iliopoulos, and Tzanakopoulos) have been courted by multiple parties.

Beyond SYRIZA-PS, their ideological “home base,” they were also for a long time a target for PASOK, which saw them as potential reinforcements that could broaden its appeal, while they also received repeated invitations from SYRIZA’s current leadership under Sokratis Famellos.

Next steps

Tsipras’ reappearance has completely changed the opposition landscape. Even if the six MPs who became independent today, along with Achtsioglou who resigned her seat—thus initiating a wave of parliamentary departures—do not immediately choose a political home, they are not expected to delay long, especially with national elections expected next year.

According to reliable information, channels of communication with Tsipras’ circle had been open for some time and remained active. The next steps toward joining the party are expected to proceed gradually, potentially as soon as September for some of the final decisions.

Tsipras’ side, however, is reportedly keen to avoid the formation of an informal parliamentary group of departing MPs, which is why resignation from parliamentary seats is considered a prerequisite. Instead, the plan is for very few but high-quality “recruits,” while the former New Left MPs also emphasise the need for a unified opposition front, as stated in their resignation letter.

Specifically, they argue that “the current regime should not have a third term, with or without Mitsotakis. We hear this demand. We do not believe full ideological alignment is necessary for a common course. What matters is forming the conditions for a broad political and social rallying, with the ultimate goal of turning left-wing ideas into implemented radical policies.”

The signatories include Alexis Charitsis, Efi Achtsioglou, Nasos Iliopoulos, Theano Fotiou, Meropi Tzoufi, Hussein Zeimpek, and Dimitris Tzanakopoulos. In recent months they have repeatedly stressed the need for an alternative progressive governing proposal.

Autumn rendezvous

In practice, the process is expected to unfold in the autumn. This does not mean the transfers are finalized, especially in relation to ELAS.

Charitsis and Iliopoulos are said to be closer to Tsipras’ circle, while Achtsioglou’s resignation from her parliamentary seat is seen as meeting key “red lines” set by Tsipras’ camp and creating momentum for a possible move, marking her political comeback after her defeat in SYRIZA’s internal elections.

By contrast, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos may take more time to decide his next steps, while Meropi Tzoufi appears closer to running again in Epirus. More experienced figures such as Theano Fotiou and Hussein Zeimpek are expected to make their decisions in the coming period.

Even the MPs who became independent are not rushing decisions, having delayed their departure to allow time for the new Tsipras initiative to gain political grounding and for ELAS to establish itself in the domestic political landscape with new terms and personnel.