The film about Stelios Kazantzidis, I Exist, is making waves at the box office, setting new records. While I haven’t seen it yet, my Syrian friends—almost all of them—have. This may be because they see their own story reflected in the lyrics:
“From high to low, and from much to little / Ah, how I’ve been reduced in life / And from the first rung, I’ve gone to the last.”

These words, written by Eftychia Papagiannopoulou, capture profound emotions in a way few political analysts could. They echo the struggles of an entire people and, unexpectedly, also the trajectory of SYRIZA and its current predicament.

If Alexis Tsipras were to reflect critically on SYRIZA’s decline—from its peak of 36% in 2015 to just 6% in current polls—he might paraphrase the song:
“But no one can blame me / For my mess / My head needs breaking.”

This line would encapsulate the mistakes following the 2019 election defeat. Instead of revitalizing the party with fresh policies, alliances, and leadership, Tsipras and SYRIZA stuck to outdated tactics. The pandemic, climate crisis, and geopolitical challenges worked in favor of the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, further prolonging the anti-SYRIZA sentiment.

False Assumptions and Political Missteps

SYRIZA’s leadership, particularly Tsipras, miscalculated. They assumed that the 31.5% vote share from the 2019 elections secured their position as a dominant force in Greece’s political landscape. They believed their turn in governance would come again naturally. However, the opposite happened. SYRIZA suffered crushing defeats in the 2023 elections, with Tsipras resigning after garnering just 20.1% in May and 17.8% in June.

The party’s current leadership, under Sokratis Famellos, faces a critical choice. If SYRIZA is to regain relevance, it must undertake serious introspection, acknowledging, as another Papagiannopoulou lyric suggests:
“From my bad company / my destruction came / I was disgraced in my madness / my father’s name / and I cry from my shame.”

Here, the “father” symbolizes the proud history of Greece’s renewalist and Eurocommunist Left, while the “bad company” refers to the ill-fated coalition with right-wing politician Panos Kammenos. This partnership, forged during SYRIZA’s rise, ultimately tarnished its legacy.

January 25, marking a decade since SYRIZA’s historic ascent to power, would be the ideal date for such reflection. Yet it’s unlikely this opportunity will be seized, especially as the political climate will be dominated by the government’s plans for electing the President of the Republic. This timing, some suggest, may have been intentionally orchestrated by Mitsotakis to keep SYRIZA on the defensive.

Political Shifts and SYRIZA’s Decline

The numbers speak for themselves. In 2015, SYRIZA held 149 parliamentary seats. Today, it commands just 26. Once the first party in Greece, SYRIZA is now third—and polls suggest it could fall to fifth, trailing the Communist Party (KKE) and the far-right Greek Solution party.

The political pendulum has shifted decisively to the right. Meanwhile, PASOK under Nikos Androulakis has reclaimed its position as the dominant force in Greece’s center-left, further diminishing SYRIZA’s influence.

Famellos’ recent pivot toward bridging gaps with PASOK seems destined to fail. PASOK has solidified its leadership of the Progressive Party and sees little incentive to join forces with SYRIZA. Moreover, SYRIZA’s shrinking base—now polling in the single digits—makes it an increasingly irrelevant partner for broader coalitions.

The fragmentation within SYRIZA compounds its challenges. Since 2015, at least six splinter parties have emerged from its ranks, including Panagiotis Lafazanis’ Popular Unity, Zoe Konstantopoulou’s Freedom Alliance, and Yanis Varoufakis’ MeRA25. More recently, divisions have deepened under Stefanos Kasselakis, whose leadership alienated both traditional leftists and rising reformists.

The Legacy of Alexis Tsipras

Despite SYRIZA’s current struggles, it’s worth noting Tsipras’ significant contributions during his tenure. His government secured Greece’s financial stability with a €37 billion “cushion,” signed the Prespa Agreement resolving the Macedonia name dispute, and led the country out of its bailout programs. These accomplishments remain SYRIZA’s most enduring achievements.

However, Tsipras’ missteps—including the controversial handling of Greece’s bailout negotiations and his failure to deliver on promises to end austerity—contributed to the anti-SYRIZA sentiment that persists today. His inability to reform the party after 2019 only deepened the crisis.

What Lies Ahead for SYRIZA

As SYRIZA marks ten years since its rise to power, its future remains uncertain. Its internal divisions, dwindling voter base, and declining relevance in Greek politics are formidable challenges. Meanwhile, the conservative government continues to dominate, and PASOK has reestablished itself as the leading force of the center-left.

For SYRIZA to rebuild, it must go beyond introspection and address its structural and ideological weaknesses. It must rediscover its roots in progressive governance while adapting to the realities of modern politics. Only then can it hope to overcome its current crisis and reclaim its place in Greece’s political landscape.

As Kazantzidis’ lyrics remind us:
“To my father’s house / I want to return / but with what courage to enter / and to my people what to say / how to face them…”

For SYRIZA, the road to redemption will not be easy, but it remains possible—if it dares to confront its past and chart a new path forward.