Former SYRIZA spokesman Kostas Zachariadis resigned from the left-wing party on Friday, saying it would be a strategic mistake to contest the next election on a separate ticket from former prime minister Alexis Tsipras.
In a social media post, Zachariadis said a SYRIZA running against a political movement led by Tsipras “cannot be my SYRIZA, my party,” arguing that the party had already moved in that direction.
“For this reason, I cannot remain in SYRIZA as it is taking shape from this point forward,” he said, adding that he also opposed any future political rivalry marked by “hostility and confrontation” beyond normal political differences.
Tsipras, who led SYRIZA for 15 years, launched the Greek Left Alliance (ELAS) in May, deepening divisions within his former party between supporters of a broader left-wing alliance to challenge the ruling New Democracy party and those favoring an independent course.
Zachariadis said he had repeatedly argued, both internally and publicly, that Greece’s broader progressive camp should run on a single electoral ticket, warning that competing lists would inevitably turn confrontational and weaken the left.
