Alexis Tsipras launches new left party ahead of elections

Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras returned to active politics on Tuesday, launching a new left-wing party called the Greek Left Alliance, or Hellenic Left Coalition, at an outdoor event in Athens beneath the Acropolis. The move ends a three-year hiatus for the 51-year-old leader and marks his attempt to reshape Greece's fragmented opposition ahead of national elections expected next year.

Tsipras framed the new party as a vehicle for democratic renewal and social justice, arguing that the current government's policies have worsened inequality. "We cannot stand by and watch society suffocate," he told supporters, adding that people should not get used to a world of war and injustice. His platform, outlined in seven core commitments, focuses on affordable housing, stronger labor protections, economic dignity, and a robust social safety net. He also emphasized climate resilience, digital sovereignty, and called for a more active, multidimensional foreign policy for Greece, indirectly criticizing the government's close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The former prime minister, who rose to power in 2015 on an anti-austerity platform during the country's...