Today at 1 PM, SYRIZA’s Parliamentary Group convenes in the Hellenic Parliament amid a tense internal climate. The presentation of Ithaca at the Pallas theater, combined with Sourmelidis’ resignation, has deepened concerns inside the party ranks.

On one side, SYRIZA’s President, Sokratis Famellos, is expected to clarify the party’s stance in light of the “parallel lives” narrative — the headline of Avgi’s Sunday edition that positioned SYRIZA against former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in what is primarily a party-aligned publication. On the other hand, many SYRIZA MPs want the party to crystallize its official position regarding the so-called “balcony” — a term referencing the symbolic marginalization of Tsipras’ former associates, as Tsipras emphatically distances himself from the current political figures of his former party.

Beyond Famellos’ critique of the government budget, which is expected to dominate his initial remarks, he will emphasize the need for a “progressive proposal” — a unified program capable, according to SYRIZA leadership at Koumoundourou, of credibly challenging Mitsotakis’ administration. This vision involves creating a progressive alliance based on dialogue between SYRIZA, the New Left, PASOK, and other progressive movements. Within this framework, discussions on the leadership of such an alliance will follow, with the possibility of selecting a leader through democratic, grassroots elections.

Famellos is widely expected to reiterate that any progressive coalition must inevitably include Alexis Tsipras, despite Koumoundourou’s continued opposition to the broad-brush criticism Tsipras has voiced against the progressive leaderships, accusing them of closed, self-perpetuating parties and bureaucratic inertia.

The Polakis Faction

Against this backdrop, today’s statements from MP Pavlos Polakis carry significant weight. Polakis, who notably boycotted Tsipras’ book launch at Pallas, has openly opposed the “balcony” approach and insists on the necessity for a radical program against the Mitsotakis government, as he recently reiterated in Efimerida ton Syntakton.

Anxieties Among MPs

The most critical unknown is the stance SYRIZA’s MPs will adopt, as many are described as “destabilized” by recent developments.

For MPs from provincial areas, a single-digit SYRIZA vote share signals their almost certain exclusion from the next Parliament. Meanwhile, Tsipras’ new project targets broader society and fresh faces, heightening existential concerns within the parliamentary group. It is widely expected that these tensions will surface multiple times during today’s session, particularly on the topics of Avgi and the “balcony,” with some MPs reluctant to rupture ties with Tsipras’ faction.

Already, members of SYRIZA’s parliamentary group, including Christos Giannoulis and Alexandros Meikopoulos, have expressed opposition to the prospect of two separate ballots in the upcoming election — even considering abstention, as Giannoulis indicated if forced to choose between a Tsipras ballot and the current SYRIZA ticket.

Closing

Former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, meanwhile, is careful to avoid stirring internal party conflicts as he prepares for a new round of Ithaca book tours. His next stop will be Patras, a key reference point for the country’s progressive movement. Following the holidays, a mass event akin to Pallas 2 is planned in Thessaloniki by his team.