The Greek Left Alliance (ELAS) has opened its doors to members of SYRIZA—but with a clear condition: no automatic leadership roles, no pre-assigned positions, and no ‘epaulettes’. That message came from Gregoris Theodorakis, ELAS’s spokesperson for Public Administration, who described the political line being set by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for the new initiative.
A Fresh Start, Not a Relocation
Theodorakis stressed that Tsipras does not envision a simple migration of SYRIZA cadres into ELAS. Instead, he emphasized a clean slate—where everyone starts as a ‘private’, without guaranteed status or hierarchy. Speaking on SKAI TV on Thursday, 25 June 2026, Theodorakis characterized ELAS as a ‘20-day-old party’, still in its earliest phase. Its immediate priority, he said, is engagement with society and building a new political momentum beyond the fragmentation of recent years.
‘It’s not enough to simply add up forces,’ he said. ‘We need to leverage them—and multiply them.’
No Guarantees, Only Shared Values
Theodorakis reiterated Tsipras’s publicly stated position: ‘All are welcome—but without epaulettes, without assured positions.’ He added that participation requires alignment on core values—not just organizational convenience.
On Pavlos Polakis
When asked specifically about Pavlos Polakis—a former SYRIZA MP recently expelled from its parliamentary group—Theodorakis declined to comment directly. ‘Mr. Polakis has expressed a distinct position and opinion at this time,’ he said. ‘We will not intervene in the internal affairs of other parties.’ He pointed instead to ELAS’s collective decision-making processes, noting that ‘all matters will be decided by the party’s democratic bodies’ and that ‘it’s still early days.’
‘Everything in its time. We’re all privates. As Alexis Tsipras said from the start: everyone begins from the same starting line.’
Solutions, Not Symbolism
Theodorakis underscored that ELAS’s top priorities remain substantive policy work, program development, and organizational consolidation. ‘Society wants to see solutions,’ he said, announcing upcoming regional tours and grassroots political initiatives.
Fiscal Fairness, Not Higher Taxes
On taxation, he insisted ELAS’s announced policies can be fully funded under existing fiscal parameters—without raising taxes on citizens. ‘Not one extra euro in tax burden is needed, based on current public finances, to finance our commitments. No one needs to fear anything,’ he stated.
At the same time, he called for a fairer tax system—lowering levies on wages and indirect taxes, while leaving open the possibility of targeting ‘excess profits’ of large corporations.