SYRIZA: A. Tsipras’ counterattack for ‘building credibility’ with technocratic ‘glaze’

By Niki Zorba

The decision of Alexis Tsipras is in the final stage of its formation, decision at least one year in advance, SYRIZA to acquire its own “think tank” of highly respected scientists as a supply tank for the official opposition party with technocratic plans and proposals that will respond, among other things, to the criticism it has been accepting for years now that it has no ground with trained people in their field. .

Commonly, that it does not have a “bench” not only at the level of politicians but also interlocutors with the scientific world and people of the market and the Economy. This deficit had long been recognized by the president of SYRIZA and in contrast to Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his team of associates.

If everyone in the Syriza hinterland agrees on something (regardless of how each executive interprets it depending on the trend to which he belongs) it is what is required “build a reliable profile“for reclaiming the government with claims. There are also polls that leave no room for doubt that regardless of the phase in which the Electoral College is with the Government (the honeymoon has certainly passed), SYRIZA still remains in percentages that are far away from political domination.

Group of “technocrats”

Assisted by the “glaze” of the technocrats who collude with Mr. Tsipras, does the official opposition hope that it will remove the reservations, the objections, even the “bitter” comments: “and with whom will it govern, with the same party officials? we saw them “.

A year later, the SYRIZA think tank acquired flesh and blood, with many of the technocratic executives who will make it up already predisposed to ally with the main opposition party, during the previous months, at the special thematic events. organized, specializing in its program: The Labor, the Recovery Fund and so on

According to party sources, The presentation of the “technocrats” of SYRIZA will take place in the coming days and the model that has been decided for their contribution, is not just an advisory role to the President. Instead, they will be called upon to co-operate with sector leaders by shaping the party’s positions and proposals. Most likely, the participation of the 150 personalities who, following Tsipras’ suggestion, will participate “aristically” in the upcoming SYRIZA conference will emerge from this pool.

Mr. Tsipras’ “flirtation” with technocrats had been revealed through his proposals in the past. The proposal to the government, for example, at the beginning of the pandemic for the assignment to a scientist (Professor Athena Linou) of the helm of the Ministry of Health, was indicative (of this) of his turn: The recognition of the need for framing by people with special knowledge sector.

For the time being, there are no surprises in the “list” of names that will make up the group of “technocrats” of SYRIZA, however the mosaic of the participants has not been completed yet: “More is coming” assures a competent source. It should be noted that this group is “run” by the director of the president’s office Michalis Kalogirou, with the former Minister of Education Costa Gavroglou and the diplomatic adviser of Alexis Tsipras, Vangelis Kalpadakis.

Apart from already formed group of close associates of the president of SYRIZA (G. Chouliaraki, D. Liakou, T. Korkoli, Akrita Kaidatzi, Ev. Apostolaki and P. Papageorgiou), The list also includes:

Othonas Iliopoulos – Associate Professor of Medicine and Clinical Oncologist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Grigoris Gerotziafas – Associate Professor of Hematology at the Medical School of Pierre et Marie Curie University (Paris VI) – Zacharoula Tsiritigis , Dimitris Christopoulos – Dean of the School of Political Science and Professor of Political Science at Panteion University, Kostis Papaioannou – Former Chairman of the National Commission for Human Rights and Secretary General of Human Rights, Diana Voutyrakou with many computers , Stavros Katsanevas – Professor of Physics at the University of Paris and Director of the European Center of Gravity, Aris Kazakos – Professor of Labor Law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Dimitris Ploumpidis – Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at EKPA – Nikolas F. University of Oxford Law Fellow and Professor of the European Chair Jean Monnet in Energy, Transport and Competition Law, Natassa Romanou – Researcher at NASA’s Goddard Institute in New York, University of Athens , Zorzetta Lali – Director of the task force for Greece in the period 2011-2015, Sofia Vidali – Professor of Criminology at Panteion University, Dora Giannaki – Science policy, expert on security and justice policies and youth researcher.