Greece's former PM Alexis Tsipras launches new left-wing party ELAS, aiming for a political comeback against the ruling conservatives
Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has announced his return to active politics, unveiling a new left-wing coalition called ELAS in a speech at the Acropolis, setting the stage for a battle to reshape Greece's fragmented left ahead of elections due by mid-2027.
The comeback announcement
Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, 51, has declared his return to frontline politics by launching a new political platform named the Greek Left Coalition (ELAS). The announcement was made in a speech against the backdrop of the Acropolis in Athens, which was broadcast live by numerous Greek media outlets. Tsipras described the new entity as a "progressive and modern party" and stated that it aims to assume governmental responsibility with him at its helm.
A progressive and modern party.
Tsipras's political wilderness
Tsipras had largely withdrawn from active politics following heavy electoral defeats for his former party, the Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza), in 2019 and 2023. He went so far as to relinquish his parliamentary seat in 2025. During this period, he published a book attempting to draw a line under the years of the financial crisis, in which he attributed responsibility for political missteps primarily to former ministers and close associates, while largely refraining from self-criticism of his own decisions. His tenure as prime minister from 2015 to 2019 saw Greece at times on the brink of exiting the Eurozone.
Attacking the conservative government
In his comeback speech, Tsipras launched a sharp attack on the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which has been in power since 2019. He accused the administration of corruption, weakening the rule of law, and fostering growing social inequality. He countered these criticisms with promises of social justice, democracy, and national sovereignty should his new party return to power.
The battle for the left
The founding of ELAS effectively opens a contest for the reorganization of Greece's left-wing and center-left political spectrum. Tsipras's former governing party, Syriza, has since fragmented into several politically insignificant splinter groups. The new party is now set to compete directly for this voter base.
- Tsipras becomes Prime Minister of Greece, leading Syriza.
- Syriza suffers a heavy electoral defeat to Kyriakos Mitsotakis's New Democracy.
- Syriza loses a second consecutive general election.
- Tsipras resigns his seat in the Greek Parliament.
- Tsipras announces his political comeback with the new Greek Left Coalition (ELAS).
- Deadline for the next Greek parliamentary elections.
Electoral landscape
Despite the fanfare of the launch, current polling indicates a steep uphill battle. The ruling conservatives maintain a commanding lead of more than 15 percentage points, making them the clear strongest force. Tsipras's new party is currently locked in a neck-and-neck race for second place with the Social Democrats of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok). The next parliamentary elections in Greece must be held by early summer 2027 at the latest.
