ATHENS – SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras told ANT1 news outlet on Saturday that the Sunday vote for party leader and the new central committee will “send a powerful message to the government and the political system.”

The main opposition leader noted that this is taking place at a time when the vast majority of citizens are “going through extremely difficult times dealing with price hikes”, therefore this party process is intrinsically linked with the current social situation and the political predicament.

All “progressive, democratic citizens, and all those who embrace the party’s principles should participate,” he noted.

“Every citizen now has the opportunity to come and send a message – not only for the strengthening of Syriza but also for the political situation that must change,” he underlined.

He stressed that he does not call on people to “merely arrive, cast a ballot and leave,” noting that registered members will be “actively involved in other crucial decisions in the near future,” such as in potential national elections, “where they will have the opportunity to decide with whom and under which program the party will enter into a collaboration.”

Tsipras added that he is very optimistic about Sunday’s turnout, and that “our goal is to win the next national elections, restore hope to society and stop this social catastrophe.”

The stakes are high, he added, because “we know that we will need more than 2 million votes to win the national ballot.”

However, he underlined that the country can certainly “see progress with a coalition government but on the basis of policy convergence, not via secretive consultations behind closed doors.”

Sunday’s vote will be the first held directly from the base of members and friends of the party, and Syriza has called on everyone over 15 to vote regardless of affiliation.