Despite his reinstatement in the SYRIZA Parliamentary Group, Polakis, who has openly challenged party leader Stefanos Kasselakis, continues to express strong objections.
SYRIZA tried to surprise both internal allies and opponents by announcing Polakis’ return to the Parliamentary Group just days before the crucial Central Committee meeting. However, the attempt to pacify the MP seems to have backfired. Sources familiar with the behind-the-scenes developments noted that this move “made things worse for Polakis,” as he did not hide his displeasure with today’s developments.
“After Kasselakis’ Recommendation”
The task of implementing this “dangerous mission” for SYRIZA was given to the head of SYRIZA’s Parliamentary Group, Nikos Pappas, who sent a letter to the Speaker of the Parliament, Kostas Tassoulas, expressing Kasselakis’ desire for Polakis to return to the opposition party’s parliamentary group. The letter emphasized Kasselakis’ personal initiative in restoring Polakis in the eyes of party members.
Behind the Scenes
Shortly before, Pappas had called the former Deputy Health Minister, in a routine conversation, but Polakis did not seem enthusiastic about Kasselakis’ gesture of goodwill. In a statement at the Parliament, Polakis made it clear that “my political assessment remains unchanged. What I’ve said stands, and we will discuss the rest at the Central Committee.” He added, “We are all adults here. What I’m saying is clear. We will discuss policies and values at the Central Committee. I’m not a child to be expelled without notice and then reinstated with a brief notification from Nikos Pappas minutes before.”
“We Will Do What Is Necessary”
Polakis later reinforced his stance with a new online post, stating, “As I said on the day of my unjust expulsion, only the people can expel; I was, am, and will be SYRIZA!” He concluded, “What I’ve said about SYRIZA’s political issues and the need for a dynamic, effective opposition to bring down Mitsotakis remains true to the letter, and we will discuss and do what is necessary at the Central Committee this weekend!”
Efforts to “Disarm” Polakis
Polakis’ firm stance, which became even more pronounced well before the upcoming Central Committee meeting, likely did not surprise SYRIZA. Despite this, the party has not given up on its efforts to maintain open communication with Polakis, as he holds significant influence among the party’s remaining base. The leadership seems to be trying to “disarm” Polakis by denying him key arguments, especially if he decides to table a motion of censure against Kasselakis during the weekend.
At the same time, there is pressure within the party to find common ground between Kasselakis and Polakis, with some SYRIZA MPs publicly supporting Polakis’ reinstatement. The leadership hopes that by addressing some of Polakis’ concerns, it might prevent a motion of censure against Kasselakis or reduce the chances of it gaining the necessary votes at the Central Committee, thus averting a potential leadership change within SYRIZA.
