In a direct and sharp political intervention, MP Pavlos Polakis launched a frontal attack on SYRIZA’s leadership—singling out party president Sokratis Famellos and calling on Alexis Tsipras to clarify his position regarding the relationship between his new political initiative and SYRIZA’s headquarters on Koumoundourou Square.
‘Absolute Absurdity’ and Political Ambiguity
Speaking on Friday, 19 June 2026, on Athens 9.84 radio, Polakis described the Central Committee’s decision to back Tsipras’s new initiative as an “absolute absurdity.” He argued that the move plunges SYRIZA into profound political ambiguity—especially since Tsipras’s new formation, the Greek Left Coalition (ELAS), has publicly stated it engages only with individuals who have formally resigned from their party posts, not with active party officials.
‘Unprecedented in Political History’
Polakis called the Central Committee’s stance “unprecedented in political history,” stressing that SYRIZA appears to be endorsing another political entity while still functioning as an independent party. “We’re living through absolute absurdity,” he said, labelling the decision a first-order political contradiction. “You have a party saying, ‘I support another party.’ That is absolute absurdity.”
‘Dishonorable’ to Support Another Party Without Resigning
The Chania MP also criticized party members who publicly back Tsipras’s new project without stepping down from their SYRIZA roles. “They have every right to choose another political formation—but they must resign first and then go there,” he stressed. “You cannot simultaneously support someone while remaining a cadre of another party. That is dishonorable.”
This statement effectively raised a question of political legitimacy for those straddling SYRIZA and ELAS without clearly declaring where they stand.
A Direct Ultimatum to Famellos
Polakis issued a clear demand to Famellos: clarify whether a formal agreement exists between Tsipras’s new initiative and SYRIZA’s leadership circle. “Either there is an agreement between Mr. Tsipras’s party and the leadership group around Mr. Famellos—or this is a shocking display of political subservience,” he said, delivering pointed criticism of SYRIZA’s top echelon. He added that any coalition agreement must be concrete and specific: “Coalition agreements aren’t made vaguely or in general terms.”
A Message to Tsipras—and a Call for Clarity
Polakis announced plans to convene a new session of SYRIZA’s Central Committee and confirmed that a formal message would also be sent to Alexis Tsipras, seeking a clear public position. “This situation is murky and bastardized—and it must be resolved,” he said, using unusually strong language to describe the current state of Greece’s left-wing political landscape.