During a meeting of the party’s Political Secretariat, Polakis suggested that changes were needed and implied he could play a role in this process. His remark, “I will be useful,” was interpreted by some party members as a sign of potential candidacy.

In response, SYRIZA’s leader, Stefanos Kasselakis, simply said, “I am not picking up the gauntlet,” rejecting Polakis’s challenge. Polakis, recently expelled from SYRIZA’s parliamentary group, has expressed dissatisfaction with the leadership’s handling of various issues, particularly the case of Athina Linou. He criticized the party’s inconsistent approach to addressing concerns about Linou’s involvement with the Prolepsis Institute.

Polakis has openly accused the party leadership of either playing political games, stalling for time or being out of touch with the realities of the situation. He emphasized that while he was expelled quickly and without consultation, the leadership is taking a much more cautious and investigative approach to other issues, such as the Linou case, which he believes to be unacceptable.

Polakis’s dissatisfaction with the party’s current direction and leadership reflects deeper tensions within SYRIZA, as members grapple with the party’s future and how to address internal and external challenges. The leadership has yet to respond fully to these criticisms, while Polakis continues to call for change.