SYRIZA Sources: Tsipras’s proposal for election of President and Central Committee from the party base was rejected

“Alexis Tsipras, a different, open, attractive and more modern party, seeks to become SYRIZA PS on the way to the new government. In this direction, both his proposal for the election of the leadership by the party members and the “SYRIZA sources, through their informal informative note on the proposal of Alexis Tsipras to the party’s political council,” said radical proposals of the Statute Committee prepared by party executives headed by Giannis Dragasakis.

According to the same sources: “Apart from Giannis Dragasakis, Danae Koltsida, head of the Poulantzas Institute, also had a special role in the Committee. and social democracy in order to have a complete picture of the structures and operation of modern parties and to choose the model that best suits the characteristics of SYRIZA PS, but also his own vision for a massive and participatory party. and digital mobilization of members.

More specifically, the big changes proposed by Alexis Tsipras are the following:

– Digital structure and function

The possibility of digital or hybrid operation of the institutions is introduced at all levels of the party, except for living, which of course remains the rule, as well as the digital platform of the party is institutionally recognized and its role is upgraded as a tool not only of information but also of consultation and voting. .

– Simplification of the party membership process

With a simple application either in the OM, or centrally in the party, or in the electronic platform iSyriza.gr, every citizen who wishes becomes an automatic member of SYRIZA PS. In case of objections in order to protect the party politically, the members of the OM, which includes the new member, are given the opportunity to appeal against the membership in the Ethics Committee.

– Participatory and direct Democracy

Members have a much more important role to play than discussing decisions already made as they gain the right to make crucial decisions, such as participating in a government, through universal referendums. Members also elect representatives not only to the Conference but also to municipal and regional steering committees and the National Council, thus strengthening their involvement at municipal, regional and national levels. They decide in by-elections, in which the party friends can also participate, to compile local ballots for national or local elections.

– Election of the party leadership directly from the party base

According to the proposal submitted by Alexis Tsipras, the collective leadership of SYRIZA PS, both the Central Committee and the President of the Party will be elected directly by the members of the Party by universal suffrage, with a single list. The Congress of the Party will approve in addition to the text of the Political Decision and the candidacies for the Central Committee as well as for the Presidency of the Party. The universal suffrage will take place after the conference.

In this process, party members gain the power directly and without intermediaries to decide on their collective leadership. And this is a strong incentive to register members and participate in party processes for party friends and especially for young people who want to know that their participation makes sense, as they co-shape critical decisions.

It is also noted that there is no distinction between a body that elects the president and the Central Committee, so no one can claim that the proposal is aimed at a leading party but instead at a more democratic and participatory party.

Finally, this process preserves the possibility for trends to function as streams of ideas but prevents them from functioning as mechanisms for the reproduction of executives with the so-called “papers” in every conference. Direct elections will enable executives who have a positive reference to social development, which is usually reflected in the party base, to be able to be elected even if they do not join any of the existing party tendencies.

– Mandates of executives in Parliament – European Parliament – Central Committee

The party that suggested the adoption of limits in the successive terms in the Constitutional Review could not but adopt them in its statutes. Therefore, it is proposed to introduce a ceiling in the three terms or in the twelve consecutive years in the Parliament / European Parliament and respectively in the Central Committee and the Political Secretariat of the Party, in order to ensure the renewal of the executive potential.

– Gender equality in the Central Committee

Full gender equality, ie equal representation, is established at all levels, bodies and organs of the party, but also in the compilation of ballots for public office. This is a great innovation for Greek things as SYRIZA PS will be the first party in the country to adopt absolute equality of 50% -50% for men and women in its collective leadership. Until now there was a gender quota of 30%. In fact, the establishment of an Anti-Discrimination Observatory is envisaged as an attempt to overcome discrimination and in favor of inclusion, with the power to investigate allegations of discrimination in advance and, if deemed appropriate, to refer it to the Ethics Committee.

Establishment of an Ethics Committee / disciplinary sanctions

A detailed grid of obligations of the members is formed, in correspondence with their extended rights. In this context, an Ethics Committee is established, directly elected by the Conference, in order to monitor the observance of the statutes and to impose disciplinary sanctions where necessary, through a process that ensures the rights of members and the implementation of the statutes. For serious disciplinary offenses the Ethics Committee with an increased majority of 2/3 may decide to suspend the membership or even to delete it.