The president of SYRIZA-PS expresses his certainty that he will win the elections and form a progressive government with the aim of political change, Alexis Tsipras in his interview with First Topic.

On the stakes of the election he notes: “The main stake of the next day is whether the country will continue to be ruled by those who led it to the greatest contraction of income, to a terrifying redistribution of wealth and to the greatest diversion since post-colonialism or by a progressive A government whose main concern will be the protection of society, the weak and the middle class, sustainable development and the restoration of the rule of law. And to put it more succinctly: Fair increase in incomes or survival on benefits and various poverty passes? Controls in the market and reduction of VAT or profiteering until the end? Protection of the first home and settlement of debts or the houses of the middle class in Patsis?” He emphasizes that his goal is a clear victory in the elections and that his vision is political change and progressive governance. He notes that there is a prospect of governing with PASOK “with one condition, that Mr SYRIZA he will win. The victory of SYRIZA is the one that will also unlock PASOK so that we can move forward together in a government of broad popular legitimacy. Because this way we will have both the numerical and the moral legitimacy to proceed. And that means a government of winners. The country needs a major political change. But I’m afraid that Mitsotakis has taken things much further than the Right-Left confrontation.” He accuses Kyriakos Mitsotakis of “establishment perception and mentality” while regarding the opinion polls he replies: “Let us see what will be reflected at the ballot box. Opinion polls as a tool for predicting the election result are most often disproved, whether in Greece or abroad.”

Regarding the announcement of the elections, he claims that “For a year and a half now, Mr. Mitsotakis has been announcing elections and for a year and a half the elections have not been announced. So I keep a small basket in the leaks. And I find this game unacceptable. Even in Erdogan’s Turkey, for months now everyone knows when they will happen. This is where we pluck the daisy. In any case, if he was sure of victory, he would have already done them.”

He states that SYRIZA is ready for the elections, while regarding the ballots he notes that “they show a significant renewal because more than 50% were not candidates in the previous elections. The State ballot will be radically changed, the State ballot, like the government we will build, will not be “partisan”.

Karamanlis, Papandreou, Mitsotakis, Androulakis

Referring to the decision of Karamanlis not to be a candidate, he considers that “it is a blow for ND” and adds: “Karamanlis is leaving, Karatzaferis is coming, this is the image of ND today. THE SW in the government the PEOPLE in power”. Regarding his relations with Costas Karamanlis, he mentions that when he was prime minister he was a fierce opposition, although “on a human level we had a normal contact, especially after he left the front line. He is a man you never hurt when you talk to him.” Referring to George Papandreou, he says: “He became prime minister at a very difficult moment in history and he failed to manage it. But to be fair, Karamanlis is also responsible for what Giorgos received. Karamanlis had the foresight to see what was coming and leave. George probably didn’t realize it. But you will remember that I also gave a very tough opposition to George. However, no matter how much you disagree with Papandreou, you cannot fail to recognize that he is a very noble person, a progressive politician with good knowledge of international developments.”

He refers to Kyriakos Mitsotakis: “He reminds me a bit of the classmate who sat at the first desk at school and took the absences. He didn’t always get the teacher’s questions right, but he always raised his hand, was diligent, and demanded good grades. He is a strong and predictable opponent. He may not have the rhetorical fluency of his father or his sister, but he is meticulous and moves according to a plan. He faithfully follows the advice of communicators. What I don’t do, that is.” Similarly to Nikos Androulakis: “I can’t say much because, I admit, I haven’t gotten to know him well. It is not even in the Parliament. I want to keep the positive element. That it comes from a tradition that is an anti-rightist tradition, from the democratic Heraklion. He is a young politician, he has a future ahead of him and he will not be judged by these elections. But he will be called upon to make very critical decisions right after the elections.”

Meetings with Blinken and Stournara

About his meeting with the US Secretary of State he explains: “The United States and the State Department want to know what the positions are, especially at a critical time, of the next administration. I made it clear to him that the progressive government will in every way support the trying people of Ukraine from this barbaric invasion of of Russia, but he is not going to continue to lead the way in providing weapons and armor, especially when they leave the islands of our country. I was perfectly clear.”

Regarding the comparison of the two governments regarding the economy, he states: “We took over a bankrupt country and faced with the need not to give 60 billion, but to collect 37 as much as the cushion was. While Mr. Mitsotakis has been eating ready meals for four years.” Regarding the first home auctions, he affirms that SYRIZA has a solution plan ready and adds that “We will submit it publicly next week and it will concern the restoration of the legal protection of the first home but also a sustainable regulatory framework, which will be provided transparently to the borrower and will be binding on the creditor”.

He refers to the two Special Courts under the ND government saying: “The special Courts were set up by Mr. Mitsotakis. Both, his parliamentary majority. I don’t want to get involved, I want to respect the Justice, but when in both cases the prosecution comes with an acquittal recommendation, that shows something regardless of the outcome. With institutional factors and economic factors, which operate within the framework of legality, whatever happened yesterday I have no feelings of revanchism. In any case, the second time will be different.”

He explains what it means that “the second time will be different” saying: “It will be different because now we have the experience and we know what we need to do to defend the interests of Greek society even better. We will come to overthrow the client state. We will come to create institutions of accountability and control, to stop this history of bribery and favoritism, to restore a rudimentary sense of meritocracy”.

For the matter that arose with him Pavlos Polakis states: “Paul made a mistake, I believe he understood it. Move on. The battle of all of us is with the Right of Mitsotakis and not among ourselves for who will become a member of parliament. And the battle is not fought only by the candidates. It is given by everyone and from every part of the country.”