The 1st Congress of SYRIZA took place in Athens, 10-14 July 2013. Approximately 3500 delegates dealt with the major tasks of formulating the Political Declaration, the Political Resolution and the Statutes of the new party, while evaluating the current situation in a national, European and global level and discussed on the ideological and programmatic features of the transformed SYRIZA and the project of the government of the Left.
The political discussion mostly focused on issues like the Euro and the Eurozone, as well as the possible alliances and political priorities for the formation of the government of the Left.
It is worth mentioning that the proposed Political Resolution text that was submitted to the delegates by the Resolution Committee of the Congress was commonly accepted as the basis of discussion.
The major minority of the party (“Left Platform”) submitted four amendments on the aforementioned key issues. According to the process that was followed, every proposed amendment was supported by two speakers and also confronted by two representatives of the Resolution Committee of the Congress. After vivid disucssions, the Political Resolution was approved by the vast majority of the delegates, while the four proposed amendments submitted by the “Left Platform” were rejected.
Moreover, the 1st Congress of SYRIZA voted on the first Statutes text of the party and, during this discussion, the delegates dealt – among others – with the question of the transformation of SYRIZA into a unified, multi-tendency party, through the transformation of its former components into tendencies, the electoral methodology for the Central Committee and the President.
Concerning the fate of the components, the decision was that those components which have not yet been dissolved, will get an extra period of time, in order to decide through a consultation process. In any case, the new Statute of SYRIZA is binding for all the members of the new party.
As far as electoral methodologies are concerned, the Congress decided that the new Central Committee will consist of 201 members and that the President will be directly elected by the Congress delegates. An important part of the discussion focused on the electoral system for the Central Committee. Despite the willingness of the majority of delegates for an election of the C.C. through a single list, in the end six different lists were presented.
As far as electoral methodologies are concerned, the Congress decided that the new Central Committee will consist of 201 members and that the President will be directly elected by the Congress delegates. An important part of the discussion focused on the electoral system for the Central Committee. Despite the willingness of the majority of delegates for an election of the C.C. through a single list, in the end six different lists were presented.
The official results of the voting process for the President:
Registered delegates: 3430
Casted votes: 3412
Valid votes: 3344
Invalid votes: 68
Blank votes: 688 (20,57%)
Alexis Tsipras: 2477 (74,04%)
Sissy Vovou: 157 (4,69%)
Panos Iliopoulos: 22 (0,6%)
The official results for the Central Committee (201 members):
Registered delegates: 3430
Casted votes: 3413
Valid votes: 3393
Invalid votes: 17
Blank votes: 3
1) United List: 2294 votes / 67,61% / 135 members (45 women)
2) Left Platform: 1023 votes / 30,15% / 60 members (20 women)
3) Non aligned members inside SYRIZA: 35 votes / 1,03% / 2 members (1 woman)
4) Communist Tendency/Platform: 25 votes / 0,74% / 2 members (1 woman)
5) Members’ Intervention: 9 votes / 0,27% / 1 member
6) Intervention for Unity: 7 votes / 0,21% / 0 members
In a press release after the end of the Congress, Alexis Tsipras stated:“The founding Congress of SYRIZA constitutes a big step, a historical landmark for the Greek Left and for democracy. Approximately 3500 delegates from all over Greece sealed the birth of the new political subject. With an open and lively democratic debate. With clear decisions. We made the historical step. From tomorrow, with our new Party, all together, more united and stronger than ever, we begin the big and victorious journey. To stop social destruction and rebuild Greece”.
See more:
– The Political Resolution of the Congress: http://left.gr/news/political-resolution-1st-congress-syriza
– Closing speech by Alexis Tsipras: http://left.gr/news/1st-congress-syriza-speech-alexis-tsipras-july-13
– Foreign delegations’ list: http://left.gr/news/syriza-1st-congress-foreign-delegations-list
– Foreign greeting messages: http://left.gr/news/messages-greetings-1st-congress-syriza
Picture of the congress from left.gr