Alexis Tsipras is banking on an upset and political change, but the fragmentation of the center-left complicates the narrative of return.
Alexis Tsipras is attempting to build the narrative of his political return, presenting his new venture as the catalyst that will overturn the current political balance of power. With statements about “momentum,” a close race in the upcoming and progressive rallying, the former prime minister seeks to cultivate the impression that the political initiative is shifting into his hands. However, the more ambitious his predictions become, the more striking the contrast becomes with the reality observed across the broader center-left spectrum, where divisions, personal strategies, and the inability to form a united front against the government.
Speaking in Cyprus, Alexis Tsipras argued that the political momentum in favor of the left-wing coalition has already been established and assessed that the upcoming elections will not be a “walk in the park” for Kyriakos Mitsotakis. At the same time, he emphasized that the goal of the new political party is victory and not simply a test of strength, while defending his recent announcements, such as free public transportation in Athens and Thessaloniki, rejecting accusations of populism and arguing that these are policies that address real social needs.
Of course, in politics there is always one detail that often proves troublesome: reality. And reality usually does not conform to the wishes of political leaders. The opposite is true.
The momentum of imagination and the return to 2014
Alexis Tsipras announced that “the momentum has already been created.” This is perhaps the most interesting political news of recent days, because so far no one else seems to have realized it. Not even PASOK, which is rushing to distance itself, nor the scattered parties of the left that are tearing each other apart, nor even the citizens who are watching with some puzzlement the attempt to revive a political project that has already been played out and judged by the public.
The truth is that the former prime minister seems to approach politics as if time had stopped in 2014. As if a grand announcement, a few words about the “common people,” a few references to the elite, and the promise of free benefits were enough to recreate the same scenario. Except that his time in government has come and gone. And that is a historical fact that cannot be erased with a new logo, a new party, or new posters. When he talks about credibility, many people remember the referendum. When he talks about anti-establishment politics, many people remember the memorandum. And when he talks about “change,” many wonder what exactly hasn’t already been tried.
The most amusing thing, however, is the certainty with which he predicts a close election race. At a time when the entire left and center of the political spectrum resembles an apartment building without a manager, Mr. Tsipras comes across as the man who will unite everyone and claim power. Except that so far, the only unity that seems to have been achieved is the shared anxiety among the other parties over who will lose more voters than whom. If this is the famous “momentum,” then perhaps it is the first political momentum in history that exists mainly in the speeches of the person invoking it.
