Former leftist prime minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday spoke of a “great responsibility” towards “society” and “history” as he welcomed the shadow cabinet of his new party, the Greek Left Alliance (ELAS), to their first meeting.
“We want and will do everything in our power to allow the Alliance to make political change and a change in politics a reality,” Tsipras said, calling for “collectivity, camaraderie, dedication, without ever separating from the people we aim to represent.” He stressed the importance of “political positions, political competence, historical awareness, activism, and the necessary combination of freshness and experience.”
He urged party officials to maintain a “clear, honest, and specific voice,” adding they should speak “simply, not simplistically, with evidence, not technocratically,” and clarified that their role concerns “policy-making areas and not media representation.”
Tsipras pointed to public concerns over schools, education standards and costs, hospitals and public health, working conditions and wages, the future of businesses, and safety, arguing that citizens are waiting for concrete answers.
He also said that “the political era of [Prime Minister Kyriakos] Mr. Mitsotakis has clearly come to an end,” adding that even “New Democracy voters are frustrated.”
