Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has unveiled the 401-member National Council of his newly launched Greek Left Alliance (ELAS) party, assembling a governing body that mixes former ministers with academics, artists, scientists, local government officials, and professionals in an apparent effort to broaden his appeal beyond SYRIZA and rebuild Greece’s fragmented center-left.
The National Council, which serves as the party’s highest political body, offers the clearest indication yet of the coalition Tsipras hopes to establish following his departure from SYRIZA.
While several veterans of his former government are included, the list is also populated by well-known figures from culture, higher education, medicine, and civil society, reflecting ELAS’ attempt to present itself as a broader progressive movement rather than a traditional party organization.
Well-known figures from across Greek society come together in Tsipras’ new ELAS party
Among the most recognizable names are acclaimed cinematographer Giorgos Arvanitis, a longtime collaborator of filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos; actors Emilios Cheilakis, Mariana Toumasatou, Marios Athanasiou, Faye Kokkinopoulou, Nikos Poursanidis and Giannis Drakopoulos; singer and actress Isidora Sideri-Zouganeli; conductor Miltos Logiadis; and theater director Thanasis Papageorgiou, founder of Athens’ Stoa Theatre and former president of the National Theatre of Greece.
The council also includes a number of prominent academics and scientists, among them historian Antonis Liakos, political scientist Nikos Marantzidis, constitutional law scholar Akritas Kaidatzis, urban planning professor Nikos Belavilas, University of Amsterdam artificial intelligence professor Evangelos Kanoulas, former National Observatory of Athens president Manolis Pleionis, microbiologist Athanasios Tsakris, and oncologist Aristotelis Bamias.
Former members of the Tsipras government also feature prominently, including former Education Minister Kostas Gavroglou, former Justice Minister Michalis Kalogirou, former Minister of State Dimitris Liakos, former Deputy Sports Minister Giorgos Vasileiadis, former Deputy Economy Minister Stathis Giannakidis, former Health Ministry Secretary General Stamatis Vardaros, and Gianna Peppe, who served as secretary-general to the prime minister.
Other notable members include former Hellenic Police chief Aris Andrikopoulos, Tilos Mayor Maria Kamma, former Larissa Mayor Apostolos Kalogiannis, former Nikaia-Rentis Mayor Giorgos Ioakeimidis, and former Skyros mayor Miltos Chatzigiannakis, who has been appointed secretary of the National Council.
The full list of the 401 ELAS National Council members can be found here.
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