On Thursday, 25 June 2026, the SYRIZA Political Secretariat descended into open internal conflict — a dramatic escalation coinciding with former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s televised interview on Alpha TV about ELAS, the new political party he launched after leaving SYRIZA.
A Clash in Real Time
The Secretariat meeting concluded almost simultaneously with Tsipras’s broadcast appearance — a timing that could hardly go unnoticed. While ELAS dominated both the internal debate and broader questions about SYRIZA’s immediate future, tensions ran high behind closed doors. The party’s leadership under Sokratis Famellos faced mounting pressure from dissenting members demanding clarity on two fronts: how to implement the Central Committee’s recent decision, and how to respond publicly to Tsipras’s remarks — including his declaration that ‘the historical cycle of SYRIZA has closed’ — and to George Siakantaris’s characterization of the party as ‘toxic’.
No Move Toward a New Central Committee
Opposition figures within the party had reportedly been waiting for Tsipras’s interview before deciding their next steps — including whether to formally request a new Central Committee (CE) session by collecting signatures. That move, however, was ultimately not pursued.
Signals of Disaffection
Several symbolic gestures underscored the rift. Notably, Thanasis Theocharopoulos — director of the office of SYRIZA’s president — appeared visibly detached during the meeting. Meanwhile, several senior figures widely seen as close to Tsipras chose not to speak at all — a deliberate silence interpreted as tacit dissent. The most dramatic moment came when MP Pavlos Polakis walked out before the session ended.
‘Strategic Dead End’
In comments following the meeting, Polakis — who represents Chania — declared that Famellos’s strategy for ‘progressive realignment’ had reached a ‘strategic dead end’. He insisted the only way forward was to reconvene the Central Committee and reverse its latest decision. ‘There is no other solution for the party,’ he said, describing the current situation as one of ‘discredit, self-debasement, and dissolution’.
Escalating Criticism
According to multiple sources, the atmosphere inside the meeting was exceptionally tense. Nikos Pappas, Polakis, Rina Dourou, and Tryfon Alexiadis revived criticisms first voiced during the 6 June Central Committee session — particularly over SYRIZA’s sharp electoral decline, which they attributed directly to Famellos’s leadership. They cited a collapse in support from around 10% to just 1% in opinion polls.
‘No Roadmap Heard’
Pappas delivered a pointed critique of Famellos’s presentation, stating bluntly: ‘We heard nothing about a roadmap.’ He questioned whether the leadership had conducted any serious political assessment, calling the prevailing attitude — summed up as ‘we’re walking well’ — deeply disappointing.