Former Greek anti-austerity leader Alexis Tsipras steps back into politics

Key Points:

• Alexis Tsipras, former Greek prime minister and anti-austerity leader, has returned to politics by launching a new left-wing party, the Greek Left Alliance, ahead of next year’s elections.
• Tsipras criticized the current center-right government for worsening income inequality and emphasized issues like affordable housing, labor protections, and economic disparity to appeal to younger and lower-income voters.
• Despite Tsipras’ return, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis maintains a comfortable lead in polls, supported by steady economic growth and declining unemployment, though his government faces a corruption scandal.
• Greece’s opposition remains fragmented with multiple parties vying for influence, including new groups such as an anti-corruption party launched recently by the mother of a student killed in a 2023 rail disaster.
• Tsipras remains a divisive figure, praised by supporters for protecting Greeks during economic hardship but criticized by opponents for ultimately accepting harsh bailout terms after campaigning against austerity.