Tsipras’ Ithaca: A new party, presence of the old SYRIZA, and messages to Famellos, Haritsis, and former comrades he sent to the balcony
“Self-organization – Re-foundation – Renewal” is the triptych reflecting Tsipras’ new doctrine, with Famellos, Haritsis and 25 MPs from SYRIZA and New Left in attendance
Newsroom
When on June 29, 2023, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras stepped aside to allow “a new wave” to pass through SYRIZA PS and the progressive movement as a whole, many of his former comrades had already predicted his political retirement. Yesterday, December 3, 2025, Alexis Tsipras passed above existing party formations and above his former comrades—this time he himself becoming the new wave—shaping from today a new political landscape in the progressive hemisphere.
Specifically, on the occasion of presenting his new book titled “Ithaca”, Alexis Tsipras announced the founding of a new political organization, as well as the launch of a “New Metapolitefsi”, pointedly noting that the cycle of today’s political formations in the progressive space has ended, in order to attempt to sweep aside everything on the bank of the democratic camp.
Alexis Tsipras delivering his speech at the presentation of Ithaca.
“There will be invitations for everyone, but no reserved seats in the front row.”
From early on, the Pallas Theatre was packed. Already by 17:00, a large crowd had gathered at the entrance, forcing organizers to open the doors earlier. The number of interested attendees exceeded the theatre’s 1,486 seats, with ushers politely—though sometimes in vain—explaining that nothing was available. Outside, where some attendees remained, there was brief dissatisfaction because no screens had been installed to broadcast the speech.
A much-discussed moment was Tsipras’ call for self-organization and his phrase that in his new political steps there would be “invitations for everyone, but no reservations.” The phrase was interpreted variously, given the seating arrangements. On the first balcony—not in the stalls—were directed: Sokratis Famellos, Alexis Haritsis, and Petros Kokkalis, along with many of the 19 SYRIZA MPs (notably absent was Pavlos Polakis) and the 8 MPs of the New Left who attended. Many former ministers of SYRIZA governments (without ANEL), former MPs and party officials were also seated in the same balcony.
Tsipras’ former comrades heard him dismiss the current opposition, saying:
“As long as today’s opposition formations show they do not share the same urgency for an alternative prospect for the country… as long as they insist on logics that concern their own microcosm and not society, the conviction among citizens will deepen that their cycle has closed. That is why, after all, I resigned from the safety of a parliamentary seat.”
Famellos and Haritsis, sitting in the boxes, appeared visibly troubled about the future of their parties.
MPs in Attendance
From SYRIZA, the MPs present were: Vasilis Kokkalis, Alexandros Meikopoulos, Miltos Zamparas, Kostas Barkas, Symeon Kedikoglou, Giorgos Psychogios, Marina Kontotoli, Christos Giannoulis, Kalliopi Vetta, Katerina Notopoulou, Olga Gerovasili, Giorgos Karameros, Dionysis Kalamatianos, Nikos Pappas, Giorgos Gavrilos, Haris Mamoulakis, Popi Tsapanidou, Andreas Panayiotopoulos.
From the New Left: Efi Achtsioglou, Sia Anagnostopoulou, Meropi Tzoufi, Theano Fotiou, Nasos Iliopoulos, Ferhat Oztzgur.
Surpassing the limits of today’s parties and their structure, Tsipras argued yesterday that “no change can come on its own, nor through top-down orders”, adding that there is a need for a New Metapolitefsi—not in terms of changing the Constitution or the political system, but in terms of a major political Big Bang that will radically reorder today’s political correlations and bring new political formations to the forefront.
The Goal: Becoming the Other Pole
From the very beginning, Tsipras places the bar high for the new party, stating that “the new Metapolitefsi cannot but begin from restoring balance to the political system”—meaning starting from the position of main opposition, currently held by PASOK.
According to the former Prime Minister, however, there is no political force today capable of giving the simmering social discontent a perspective of change, nor a convincing progressive alternative plan that constitutes a credible governing proposal—implicitly attacking PASOK’s leadership (Charilaou Trikoupi HQ).
A Jab at Androulakis
“Today, unfortunately, what dominates the progressive space is not the concern for producing an alternative Plan, nor even the urgency to change the current government, but the anxiety over who will be first in the village,” Tsipras said, pointing clearly at PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis. His criticism touched all parties of the progressive arc.
He continued:
“As long as the opposition fails to produce the oxygen society needs… parties enclosed in their self-satisfaction and leaderships that seem barely concerned whether this government wins a third term…”
From this criticism, neither SYRIZA PS nor New Left are spared—especially since, as Tsipras said, “today’s political system is not part of the solution but part of the problem.”
The Triptych of the New Party
For these reasons, what is required today for the democratic camp is to proceed with processes of Re-foundation of its political and organizational identity, in order to credibly claim progressive governance in the next elections.
Tsipras called citizens to initiatives of self-organization, part of the triptych:
Self-organization – Re-foundation – Renewal
which reflects his new doctrine.
He described:
“We must organize in every city, neighborhood, workplace, or place of study, initiatives of re-foundation, justice, and change… initiatives of self-organization that break the walls of isolation among citizens.”
He clarified meaningfully that these initiatives “will be open to everyone wishing to be fellow travelers on the journey, but impassable for those who wish to always travel in first class.”
“From now on there will be invitations for all, but there will be no reserved first-class seats for anyone.”
Even though 30 MPs attended yesterday at Pallas, their placement in the balconies was interpreted as a clear message about the distance Tsipras is keeping from the progressive camp’s leadership ranks—even as he winked at many attendees, saying:
“A collective vision for Change—that is what we need. And I don’t think I’m wrong to say that your presence today is, for most of you, an expression of expectation, a declaration of participation in this new journey… We will be together in this journey—with our experiences and our wounds.”
Beginning from the theme of his book—“history is not the monopoly of those who consider themselves winners”—Tsipras launched a direct attack on the government.
Without mentioning New Democracy or Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis by name, he referred to “those who bankrupted the country… delivered it to the lenders… sent unemployment to 27%, destroyed a quarter of the economy, abolished the 13th and 14th salaries and pensions, drowned in the shame of Yeroún Gerá and Vasta, Schäuble while society was bleeding, and now demand answers from us,” calling himself “unrepentant.”
“I have no problem—none at all—being called unrepentant,” he said, defending his governance and highlighting its legacy.
