Despite the recent “consequences” with Giorgos Katrougalos, SYRIZA looks on today with optimism. Indeed, during this four-year course in the official opposition, there were many unexpected events and several special intra-party situations that Alexis Tsipras had to face. Everything made his job difficult. Even with regard to progressive governance, there were differing opinions, mainly about whether it should be extended to the Center area, but also beyond. The 2022 conference decided most of the issues, and the President of SYRIZA was declared the absolute master of the game.

The progressive management narrative has not been “built” in the past four years. This goes back to July 2016 when SYRIZA voted in favor of simple proportionality. It was not possible to implement it in the 2019 elections, as they did not gain an increased majority of 2/3. After receiving 179 “yes” from his deputies and parties, ANEL, KKE and the Union of Centers, he began to talk about the importance of forming coalition governments, which will not only arise after some political or electoral impasse. Several people at the time claimed that the fall of the government in the elections was the reason Alexis Tsipras voted for the new electoral system. PASOK was not built according to the principles of simple proportionality, and this was the reason for a tough “bulkhead”. Because of the memorandum and the country’s dependence on creditors, SYRIZA could do little to enforce its own policies. Establishing simple proportionality was an obligation and an invariable position of the party, on which it tried to put a “left seal” for the period of its rule.

The message was blurred first by the losers’ government, then by the tolerance government, and finally by the special purpose government.

The political situation was completely different seven years ago. The late Fofi Gennimata, the relatively new president of PASOK, kept a clear distance from SYRIZA, despite being seen in Kumunduru as a potential partner, even able to assemble an important part of the Center from the New Democracy. No one imagined that Janis Varoufakis, with his anti-memorandum rhetoric, would enter parliament and become one of the “regulators” of progressive rule.

What did SYRIZA miss these four years? Confidence in control. What the New Democracy constantly offered, showing that it did not need other forces to develop its program. After all, it was with this narrative that he won the elections in January 2015. If Alexis Tsipras had more than 149 deputies in these elections, would he “cast his eyes” on Panos Kammenos? Few believe in it. A simple analogue changed the data. He forced to seek alliances. Thus began the continuous “flirting” with KINAL, and then with PASOK Nikos Androulakis. However, no response, which was largely expected. There was also an eye-opening on MERA25, mostly from the left wing of the party, until the recent counterfeit currency recovery and 2015 severed all ties. The KKE has never left room for maneuver and has attacked Kumundura very hard during the current pre-election period.

There was no discussion about whether SYRIZA was “stuck” in the simple proportional vote held in Kumunduru. And it is unlikely that he will start such a conversation, whatever the result. Because there is simply no leader who believes that it was the wrong choice. Despite the fact that there was no response to cooperation from any political force. The absence of a potential partner could also be the reason why the message was blurred even just before the vote. First with the government of losers, then with the government of tolerance, and finally with the government of special purpose.