As SYRIZA continues to struggle in the polls, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Olga Gerovasilis and Thanasis Theocharopoulos of the “87” faction urged party leader Stefanos Kasselakis to initiate internal polls to facilitate the election of a new leader.

Chania MP Pavlos Polakis supported this call, stating that “in democracy, there are no dead ends” and emphasized the importance of reaching a political agreement to hold a leadership election. Kasselakis, however, did not directly address the challenge to his leadership, instead criticizing former party president Alexis Tsipras and other key figures, suggesting that he had been sincere in his dealings with all party members, including those who left the party.

Gerovasilis responded strongly, questioning Kasselakis’ accusations of dishonesty towards the party’s leadership. She remarked, “None of us have called you dishonest. You, however, have labeled all of us as dishonest and corrupt,” referring to Kasselakis’ past remarks about internal party issues.

Despite pressures for clarity, Kasselakis refrained from committing to any specific course of action but urged top party officials to pledge their loyalty to the party, regardless of future developments. Polakis, in turn, distanced himself from traditional leftist ideologies, stating that he had moved beyond them at a young age and reaffirming his commitment to the party while rejecting any comparison to figures like Zoe Konstantopoulou or Yanis Varoufakis.

The meeting reflected deepening divisions within SYRIZA as members grapple with the party’s direction and leadership.