Alexios Haritsis Leaves New Left, Calls for Unified Progressive Front in Greece

Greek politician Alexios Haritsis announced his departure from the New Left party, describing the split as a painful but necessary move. He argued that the party can no longer serve the broader progressive vision needed to challenge Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s New Democracy government. Haritsis said a wider, unified progressive front is essential and highlighted former prime minister Alexis Tsipras as a potentially pivotal figure in that effort, though he cautioned that Tsipras’s return alone would not bring change. He criticized the current party’s internal mechanisms and stressed the need for open public discussion on policy priorities. He also pointed to Greece’s low ranking in the EU on per‑capita income and the mounting economic pressures on households and businesses, urging a new political strategy to address these challenges.