The presidential candidate developed his proposal on what SYRIZA-PS should do to regain power while speaking at the Permanent Congress of SYRIZA-PS Nikos Pappas.

He began by mentioning in the ND government Saying that “It proves very early that it cannot guarantee all-round modernization, but all-round crisis. And in society and in the economy and in institutions and in the environment. So it is very likely that it will soon have a political decay. Does that mean we automatically win? On the contrary. There is no ripe fruit, no automatic political pendulum.”

The conditions for the recovery of SYRIZA

He then developed the organizational and programmatic ones conditions for SYRIZA to recover and win: “Political conditions. Among other things, to ensure political and social breadth. Today we must reaffirm that we are a new great left, democratic and progressive party, a new great left, which will incorporate the positive experiences of the past. A faction that unites the world from the left to the progressive center. A mixture of realism and radicalism is necessary in this direction. Only in this way will we rule out the scenarios that require additional power. This is the only way we will convince that we are the only competitive force in the N.D. of Mitsotakis”.

Answer the objections on the identity of SYRIZA: “There is a view that we should only express the radical left. That the strategy of expansion and transformation was a spineless polyseism. There is also the opinion that we should not talk about a faction from the left to the center because these terms are outdated, they are empty shirts and it is enough for us to say that we are addressing the many. The concepts left, center and right are not empty concepts. They are concepts that constitute identities and give meaning to historical routes and strategies for the future. If anyone would like a society, an electorate without political determinations, it is certainly not our party. The basic dividing line on the “left-right” axis was, is and will be.

He went on to argue: “In order to win the elections, we must not send a folding signal. We need to reaffirm and strengthen the identity of the modern party of the left progressive democratic faction. We will build the faction of victory, the faction that is capable of winning the next election.”

Reconnecting with the middle class

Regarding the identity of SYRIZA, he noted: “It is a major issue to reconnect, not only with the youth, the layers of wage labor and precariousness, but also with the self-employed and the small and medium, with the middle class. We are not simply the party of wage labor. Because self-employed people and small business people are often hard-working people. Who may be working double wages, anxious about the survival of the business and likely being exploited by the energy giants or their supplier cartels. They are people who naturally belong to the social alliance that we must build, so that Greece can walk the path of justice, environmental balance, democracy and development. We will not leave them to the Right which envisages Pissarides plans and creative destruction of small businesses and, indeed, in a framework of zero rights for employees. It goes without saying that if we ensure conditions for the viability of small businesses, we can more easily protect wage labor, which is 80% to 85% of these businesses.”

We do not consent to national retreats

But it was also mentioned on national issues: “If an agreement is reached with Turkey that deconstructs what we conquered in the period 2015 – 2019, that undermines national interests, that undermines stability in the region, they should not expect any consent from the democratic faction and the Left. We will not give such consent. We say this both as Greek patriots and as democratic fighters for peace in the region. We promise it as the new great, patriotic left, a faction with strong patriotic characteristics.”

Leap of democracy

He also developed the organizational conditions while simultaneously making a self-criticism: “we did not take advantage of the 32% loan of 2019. We were late in electing our leadership from the grassroots. The transformation step was half-hearted. We didn’t leverage and integrate the 110k new members. What we need is real democracy in the members’ party. Not a party of structures that will suppress, nullify and ignore the will of the members. We must complete this step and also take other steps to upgrade the operation of a party of members. To elect prefectural committees with universal participation of the members. Let’s elect new coordinators. To form networks in self-government, in trade unions, in the rural area, in small and medium enterprises. To set up our regional organizations, which, among other things, would prepare the party for the regional elections. Let’s launch referendums. To compile our ballots with universal participation of members in the selection. To finally take advantage of the social and political availability of simple fighters and representatives of organizations that came to help us. Our party needs today a huge wave of democracy and participation that will essentially have re-establishing characteristics of the members’ party. A wave that will sweep away bad practices and closed doors. A Leap of Democracy.”

Greece deserves a better future

In closing he developed his vision for a “better Greece”. As he said: “Our own road, o path of the left progressive democratic faction leads to a better, brighter future. Where every citizen has the opportunity to fulfill their potential and expectations to improve their lives. Not by stepping on the failure of the neighbor. But starting from an environment of collective security and protection: Where families, workers and small businesses get by without mortgaging the future. Where the economy does not surrender to the priorities of market forces. We will build a country where everyone’s potential in life is not determined by the circumstances of their birth and the financial status of their family. Where no one is at risk of becoming homeless, without their first home. A country where every person can fully and freely develop their potential. We are building the lineup for victory. We are building the future of the democracy of justice and peace for Greece. A better country for everyone.”