Today’s Central Committee meeting is a big one for SYRIZA, the third since Socrates Famellos took over. But unlike the previous gatherings – a celebratory one after the leadership change in December and another in January marking a decade in parliament – this meeting arrives at a challenging time for the party.
SYRIZA is at a critical point, struggling with low public support and needing to find a way forward. Their approval ratings are hovering around 6%-7%, which isn’t where they need to be if they want to build a strong opposition. The main goal of Saturday’s meeting is to map out a clear direction for the party.
Famellos has called for party leaders to make some decisions. The Central Committee has the job of figuring out SYRIZA’s future, particularly since the suggestion of forming a coalition with PASOK has been resoundingly rejected, and Zoe Konstantopoulou seems an unlikely partner.
A “Restart Committee” is being set up as a key part of the party’s plan, and Famellos is expected to present who will be on it. The idea is to get more people involved from different backgrounds to strengthen the party’s connection with the public.
Famellos has also said that the upcoming party congress should spark discussions about how to refresh the party in a way that goes beyond just internal matters. He asserted that SYRIZA “will be both a dynamic, radical and progressive opposition to an unjust, unpopular and destructive government, but also a clear progressive alternative government proposal.”
Pavlos Polakis is another important figure to watch. He has a lot of support within the party, and he hasn’t caused friction during Famellos’ leadership. However, some statements suggest he might have different ideas than the party leadership, pushing for a “clear program of specific changes” that he thinks is missing right now.
Polakis is expected to speak up at the Central Committee meeting, potentially even forming a new group within the party. How much influence he has will become clear as the meeting progresses.
