Speaking at a citizens’ initiative assembly in Thessaloniki aimed at rebuilding Greece’s progressive political space, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras used football metaphors to describe the timeline for launching his new political party. ‘We’ll win the championship again when we have a solid, alternative governance plan—and that’s exactly what we’re working on, methodically,’ he said. ‘And when we build a team—renewed, yet experienced—that plays well, scores goals, and wins on the pitch.’
A Timely, Not Premature, Entry
Tsipras emphasized timing and readiness over haste: ‘At history’s rendezvous, there are two things you must not do: arrive too early and get sidelined—or arrive too late and sideline it yourself. We’ll launch this effort together, all of us, when we’re ready to win. And I believe that moment is coming soon.’
Critique of ND Government and Call for Renewal
He stressed the urgent need for a strong, credible alternative to bring about political change—and sharply criticized the New Democracy (ND) government, calling it ‘politically unethical’. ‘The community of progressive citizens has a pulse. It demands—not passively—that we not allow this politically unethical regime, which has governed us for seven years, to further entrench itself, dragging us deeper into inequality, hardship, corruption, and despair—robbing us of hope and expectations for a better tomorrow.’
He argued that the current government’s growing arrogance stems from the absence of a real political opponent: ‘It plays alone—and that breeds cynicism, often bordering on outright political unethics. What should motivate us isn’t a desire for revenge, nor the understandable wish of many—especially those accustomed to political office—to regain their positions. Still less should it be the personal ambition of some officials to hold onto their posts.’
Rebuilding the Progressive Space
Tsipras underscored the necessity of reconstituting the progressive democratic camp. None of the existing forces in that space, he said, can mount a credible challenge on their own—regardless of intent. ‘Simply adding them up won’t work,’ he noted. ‘If you add decay to decay, you only get more decay. And against ND’s deep-rooted corruption, decay is no answer. What we need is transcendence—and multiplication: setting aside petty party interests and personal ambitions in the rooms where we deliberate.’
This was Tsipras’s first appearance at an assembly organized by the Citizens’ Initiative movement—primarily, he said, to listen.