The first high-profile departure from the party’s leadership took place today, Monday, with the resignation of Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, a member of the party’s Central Committee and Political Secretariat.
The former minister and former member of parliament announced her resignation from the party online, making clear her intention to join Alexis Tsipras’s ELAS.
The full statement:
“In my speech at the recent Central Committee meeting on June 6, I referred to the need for clear positions at a time when the social majority is suffering from government policies and the progressive camp, the Center-Left and the Left are plagued by fragmentation.
I also noted that following the election of Socrates Famellos, through the initiatives he has undertaken, as well as collectively through the decisions of SYRIZA -PS, there was a serious effort to bring together progressive and left-wing forces; however, this effort did not receive a commensurate response a year ago, and in practice was overtaken by political developments and pressing social needs.
In my speech to the Central Committee, I stated that Alexis Tsipras’s initiative and the formation of ELAS offer a way forward and hope to the progressive and left-wing community, opening up the prospect of progressive governance, and I emphasized that I cannot conceive of a SYRIZA-PS ballot running against Alexis Tsipras and ELAS.
From 2018 until today, in the government, in Parliament, and within the party, I have always strived to act in an institutional, collective, and conciliatory manner.
At critical moments, there is no room for superficial compromises.
Now is the time for clear solutions and bold steps forward.
With a sense of responsibility and consistency in what I stand for, I hereby announce that I am leaving SYRIZA-PS.
Political and social necessity demands that we unite behind a strong progressive–leftist force that will once again represent a majority movement for political and social change!”