Former prime minister Alexis Tsipras used his first online event as leader of the Greek Left Alliance (ELAS) to defend the idea of a pragmatic, “governing left” and respond to criticism from within the broader left-wing movement, arguing that political forces seeking social change must be prepared to assume responsibility and make difficult compromises.
Speaking at an event organized by myelas.gr, Tsipras addressed criticism from the left, seeking to distance his political vision from what he called a “left of protest,” reinforcing a central theme of his much-discussed political rebranding.
“The path toward a fairer society is not a straight line; it has advances and retreats, upheavals, victories and successes, but also necessary compromises,” Tsipras said. He added that those pursuing political change must be willing to “get dirty” and “be bruised” in the process.
Tsipras also revisited the period when the left first came to power in Greece under the SYRIZA government in 2015, recalling criticism that the party should not have sought government leadership under the constraints imposed by the country’s bailout agreements and international oversight.
“When else is the left more useful, if not under the most difficult conditions?” Tsipras said. The remark was interpreted by some observers as a pointed criticism of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), as well as other left-wing groups that reject participation in government until ideal political conditions emerge.
