2008 SYN leadership election

In October 2005, SYN President, Alekos Alavanos, endorsed Alexis Tsipras, known for taking part on the 1990–1991 student protests in Greece, in which he was part of the student group that held talks with the Mitsotakis government,{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/301636be-a2e6-11e4-9c06-00144feab7de.html|title=Alexis Tsipras: Greece's radical or realist?|date=23 January 2015|accessdate=29 August 2023|author=Peter Spiegel|newspaper=Financial Times}} to the party as a candidate for the Athens mayorship.{{cite news|url=http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=655998|title=Ο Αλέξης Τσίπρας επικρατέστερος υποψήφιος του ΣΥΝ για το Δήμο Αθηναίων|publisher=in.gr|date=11 October 2005|accessdate=29 August 2023|language=Greek}}

SYN members who backed Mihalis Papagiannakis for the mayor race protested against Alavanos' endorsement, who had previously supported Papagiannakis.{{cite news|url=http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=656161|title=Διχασμένος ο ΣΥΝ την επομένη της υποψηφιότητας Τσίπρα για τη δημαρχία της Αθήνας|publisher=in.gr|date=12 October 2005|accessdate=29 August 2023}} {{cite news|url=http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=656472|title=Ερίζουν ΣΥΝ και ΣΥΡΙΖΑ για την υποψηφιότητα Τσίπρα στο Δήμο Αθηναίων|publisher=in.gr|date=13 October 2005|accessdate=29 August 2023}} {{cite news|url=http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=656297|title=Αιχμές και γκρίνια σε ΝΔ, ΣΥΝ για τις υποψηφιότητες σε Δήμο Αθηναίων και υπερνομαρχία|publisher=in.gr|date=13 October 2005|accessdate=29 August 2023}} A majority of the Political Secretariat decided to support Tsipras' candidacy, while the prefectural committee of Athens A' backed Papagiannakis on a knife-edge vote.{{cite news|url=http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=661573|title=Σε κλίμα διχογνωμίας η απόφαση στο ΣΥΝ για τον υποψήφιο στο Δήμο Αθηναίων|publisher=in.gr|date=5 November 2005|accessdate=29 August 2023|language=Greek}} On Alavanos' advice, the Central Committee rejected the prefectural Committee's decision with a two-thirds majority{{cite news|url=http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=661747|title=Την υποψηφιότητα Τσίπρα για το Δήμο Αθηναίων υπερψήφισε η ΚΠΕ του ΣΥΝ|publisher=in.gr|date=6 November 2005|accessdate=29 August 2023|language=Greek}} and Tsipras ended up as the Candidate for the Athens mayorship for SYN on the 2006 Greek local elections. He reached the 3rd place with a percentage of 10,51%, getting 4 seats on the city council.{{cite web|url=http://ekloges-prev.singularlogic.eu/2006static/dimos105.htm|title=Δημοτικές -Νομαρχιακές Εκλογές 2006|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Υπουργείο Εσωτερικών|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012092912/http://ekloges-prev.singularlogic.eu/2006static/dimos105.htm|archivedate=12 October 2016|accessdate=29 August 2023|url-status=dead|language=Greek}}

Fotis Kouvelis' candidancy was backed by members of the "Renewal Wing", Thanasis Leventis, Mihalis Papagiannakis, Nikos Tsoukalis και Anna Filini, SYN MEP, Dimitris Papadimoulis and the historical figure of the party, Leonidas Kyrkos

On the other camp, Alexis Tsipras' candidancy was backed by members of the "Left Shift", Nikos Voutsis, Giannis Dragasakis, Panagiotis Lafazanis, Dimitris Stratoulis and Nikos Hountis, and members of the "Red-Green Network" Christoforos Papadopoulos and Euclid Tsakalotos.{{cite web|url=https://www.tanea.gr/2008/02/04/greece/syn-polemos-6-imerwn/|title=ΣΥΝ: "πόλεμος" 6 ημερών|publisher=TA NEA |date=4 February 2008|accessdate=29 August 2023|language=Greek}}

File:Wiki tsipras.jpg

File:SYN 5th Congress.jpg

After the Congress, since Tsipras was not an MP, Alekos Alavanos remained as the President of the Parliamentary group of Syriza.[https://www.in.gr/2008/02/23/greece/deytero-kyma-allagwn-ston-syn-meta-tin-eklogi-tsipra/ Δεύτερο κύμα αλλαγών στον ΣΥΝ μετά την εκλογή Τσίπρα]

In the 2009 European Parliament election in Greece, Synaspismos, being part of Syriza, succeeded in electing Nikolaos Chountis to the European Parliament. The result was considered a failure, due to the stagnation of the percentage, and was criticized by the "Renewal Wing" of Synaspismos,[https://www.naftemporiki.gr/story/244539/al-tsipras-o-xoros-tis-aristeras-ittithike-alla-den-tha-katastrafei Αλ. Τσίπρας: «Ο χώρος της Αριστεράς ηττήθηκε αλλά δεν θα καταστραφεί»] with Leonidas Kyrkos calling for the dissolution of Syriza[https://www.naftemporiki.gr/story/244550/l-kurkos-o-syriza-eftase-sto-telos-tou Λ. Κύρκος: «O ΣΥΡΙΖΑ έφτασε στο τέλος του»] An internal party crisis followed, in which Alavanos announced his intention to resign as president of the parliamentary group of syriza and as an MP,[https://web.archive.org/web/20090926170401/http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.politikh&id=55214 Παραιτείται από το βουλευτικό του αξίωμα ο Αλέκος Αλαβάνος]{{cite web|url=https://www.tovima.gr/2009/06/21/politics/i-ekkwfantiki-paraitisi-toy-alekoy-alabanoy/|title=Η εκκωφαντική παραίτηση του Αλέκου Αλαβάνου|date=21 June 2009|last=Σταυρόπουλος|first=Λάμπρος|newspaper=Το Βήμα|access-date=4 December 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703174402/https://www.tovima.gr/2009/06/21/politics/i-ekkwfantiki-paraitisi-toy-alekoy-alabanoy/|archivedate=3 July 2023}} which was not accepted[https://web.archive.org/web/20090823122414/http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.article&id=55242 Τη Δευτέρα ο «επίλογος» της παραίτησης Αλαβάνου] and he recalled, a few days later.[https://www.tovima.gr/2009/06/23/archive/b-anakalese-telika-tin-paraitisi-toy-o-alekos-alabanos-b/ Ανακάλεσε τελικά την παραίτησή του ο Αλέκος Αλαβάνος]

In the coming months, and with the coming legislative elections of the same year, Alavanos decided to not take part in them.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100114091530/http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.article&id=79737 Δεν θα είναι υποψήφιος ο Αλέκος Αλαβάνος][https://web.archive.org/web/20090912073602/http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.article&id=79848 ΣΥΡΙΖΑ χωρίς τον Αλαβάνο] Syriza, led by Alexis Tsipras, received 4,60% of the vote and elected 13 MPs.

In June 2010, the 6th Congress of Synaspismos took place.[https://www.in.gr/2010/03/28/greece/apo-tis-3-mexri-tis-6-ioynioy-to-6o-synedrio-toy-synaspismoy/ Από τις 3 μέχρι τις 6 Ιουνίου το 6ο συνέδριο του Συνασπισμού] The "Renewal Wing", led by Fotis Kouvelis, disagreeing with Synaspismos taking part in Syriza, left the party, founding the Democratic Left.[http://www.tovima.gr/default.asp?pid=2&ct=32&artId=336317&dt=09/06/2010 Επίσημο το διαζύγιο στον Συνασπισμό][https://archive.today/20120723112735/http://www.avgi.gr/ArticleActionshow.action?articleID=552705 Η ιδρυτική διακήρυξη της Δημοκρατικής Αριστεράς] Kouvelis was followed by 3 more MPs, that left the parliamentary group of SYN.[https://www.naftemporiki.gr/story/288510/aneksartitoi-oi-4-tis-ananeotikis-pterugas-tou-syn Ανεξάρτητοι οι «4» της «Ανανεωτικής Πτέρυγας» του ΣΥΝ]

In the May 2012 Greek legislative elections and in the June 2012 Greek legislative elections, Syriza reached the second spot, and elected 52 και 71 MPs according.

In July 2013, with Syriza's first congress in sight, an emergency Synaspismos congress took place, in which a large majority decided to abolish and combine itself within Syriza[https://www.in.gr/2013/07/10/greece/anoigoyme-mia-nea-selida-eipe-o-al-tsipras-sto-synedrio-toy-syn/ «Ανοίγουμε μια νέα σελίδα» είπε ο Αλ. Τσίπρας στο συνέδριο του ΣΥΝ][http://www.kathimerini.gr/46078/article/epikairothta/politikh/yperyhfisthke-h-aytodialysh-toy-syn Υπερψηφίστηκε η αυτοδιάλυση του ΣΥΝ]{{Cite web |url=http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/237344/apofasistike-i-autodialusi-tou-sunaspismou/ |title=Αποφασίστηκε η αυτοδιάλυση του Συνασπισμού |accessdate=23 August 2023 |archive-date=3 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203150148/http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/237344/apofasistike-i-autodialusi-tou-sunaspismou/ |url-status=dead |language=Greek}}

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Category:2008 political party leadership elections