Brussels, 21/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Alexis Tsipras, the charismatic leader of the fight against austerity in Europe and virtual “king maker” at the Greek parliamentary elections in spring 2012, who is the leader of the Greek left party Syriza, will head the list of the European Left (EL) at the next elections. He will also be the official candidate for the presidency of the European Commission owing to the decision of the different political parties to designate a colt for the race to the presidency of the Commission.
Meeting in Madrid, the EL discussed preparations for the European elections in May 2014. While the EL “does not believe that this new arrangement [the choice of a candidate for the Commission] is of a nature to democratise the EU”, it does, however, believe that the Tsipras' candidacy “would be a strong symbol of hope for Europe. Greece has been a guinea pig for austerity policies. But Greece has resisted and will continue to resist. Syriza, the party of which Tsipras is leader, knew how to assemble the Greek people against the barbaric memoranda and authoritarianism, for a recovery of Greece in a Europe that shows solidarity”, the party states in a press release. Tsipras' voice would be “that of the resistance and of hope in the face of the ultraliberal policies and in the face of the threat from the extreme right”. Tsipras' candidacy will be decided upon at a congress in Madrid on 13-15 December. At the beginning of October he travelled to Brussels and met President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Laszlo Andor, and leader of the S&D Group at the European Parliament Hannes Swoboda (our translation throughout). (SP/transl.fl)