Alexis Tsipras is to begin today his bid to establish complete control over SYRIZA in the founding Conference of the main left wing opposition party in Greece.
SYRIZA was founded as the Coalition of the Radical Left in 2004 and was formed by the cooperation between several leftist parties, most notably Synaspismos. However, since SYRIZA’s showing at last year’s elections, where it garnered almost 27 percent of the vote and won 72 seats in Parliament, becoming the main opposition party, Tsipras has made plans to unify the party.
His aim is to rid the party of its factionalism and make it speak with one voice. Sources said that unofficial results from the 491 organizations that are sending 3,500 delegates to the congress indicate strong support for Tsipras’s line and weakening backing for the “Leftist Platform,” which is led by SYRIZA MP Panayiotis Lafazanis. So far, only one faction (DIKKI) has said it will refuse to disband so a single party can be formed.
On Saturday delegates will vote on the unified party’s charter, rules for electing its president, the founding declaration and the members of its central committee.
