In his detailed post, Kasselakis proposed transforming SYRIZA into a more leader-centric party with a new hierarchy and political staff, distancing himself from the “old guard” of SYRIZA and ending traditional “political careers.”
Key Points from Kasselakis’ Statement:
- Reform Plan: Kasselakis outlined his plan for changes in SYRIZA ahead of the party’s Statutory Congress in the fall, emphasizing six main pillars. He criticized the current chaotic state of the party’s finances and announced a painful but necessary rationalization process, including layoffs.
- Condemnation of Black Money: He highlighted the issue of “black money” in Greek politics, stating, “Unbelievable black money is circulating in the parties in our country. My SYRIZA will never turn black. It will not have unknown sources of funding.”
- Electoral Performance: Kasselakis addressed the party’s poor performance in the European elections, attributing it to the challenges of dealing with two recent splits and limited time.
- Parliamentary Terms Limit: He proposed a limit of three parliamentary terms, which would exclude key figures like Alexis Tsipras, Olga Gerovasilis, and Nikos Pappas from Parliament, stressing the need for radical changes through intra-party referenda.
- Government Program Critique: Kasselakis criticized the previous pre-election program as a last-minute effort that lacked proper costing and was balanced among various party factions. He emphasized the need for a well-prepared and realistic government program.
- Call for Center-Left Unity: Kasselakis called for a unified progressive body including PASOK and other movements, rejecting the idea of a simple merger of parties and encouraging grassroots collaborations instead.
- Criticism of Media and Polls: He accused the media, newspapers, journalists, and opinion polls of trying to control both the problem and the solution, suggesting that they are looking for a new political reserve as Prime Minister Mitsotakis faces destabilization.
