NEWS

Tsipras makes bid for control over unified SYRIZA

Alexis Tsipras is on Wednesday to begin his bid to establish complete control over SYRIZA and abolish its numerous factions as the leftist party holds its founding congress.

The aim of the congress, which will be held at the Tae Kwon Do arena in southern Athens, is for SYRIZA to become a unified party. 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 impressive showing at last year’s elections, where it garnered almost 27 percent of the vote and won 72 seats in Parliament, 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 as the leftists attempt to boost their support. 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.

The key votes will take place on Saturday, when delegates will vote on the unified party’s charter, rules for electing its president, the founding declaration and the members of its central committee.

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