The issue of who holds legal and administrative responsibility within SYRIZA after Stefanos Kasselakis’ dismissal has been raised by his team through an official leak concerning today’s developments, shortly before the emergency meeting of the Political Secretariat. According to the leak, Kasselakis was informed by the party director, Christos Mavrokephalidis, that he himself (i.e., Kasselakis) is responsible unless he signs a power of attorney.

However, according to sources from Kifisia, following the vote of no confidence against Kasselakis, political responsibility lies with the Political Secretariat, while administrative and legal responsibilities fall under the party director, Christos Mavrokephalidis. They suggest that the leak from Kasselakis’ side aims to keep his supporters mobilized.

The leak from Kasselakis’ environment is as follows:

Manolis Kapnisiakis called Secretary Rania Sviğkou yesterday and asked who is responsible administratively and legally for the party.

Not receiving an answer, Kasselakis then called Rania Sviğkou and asked the same question.

According to information, Ms. Sviğkou referred Kasselakis to the party director, Christos Mavrokephalidis. When Kasselakis asked the same question, Mavrokephalidis reportedly replied that “the responsibility for the party is yours, unless you sign a power of attorney.”

Kasselakis is said to have responded, “How can I sign a power of attorney if I don’t know what decisions are being made?”

Since then, Kasselakis has not disclosed his next steps, but immediately after, Ms. Sviğkou called the emergency Political Secretariat meeting.

The Fight Will Be Within SYRIZA, Says Kasselakis’ Team

According to information, the focus of the emergency meeting is the atmosphere of dissent regarding the Central Committee’s decision to remove Stefanos Kasselakis.

It is reported that the ousted president is already in Athens and is expected to announce his intention to run for party leader again in the coming hours. “The fight will be within SYRIZA,” say his close associates.

Kasselakis has also held a series of meetings with SYRIZA MPs and officials since the morning.

The Emergency Meeting

Five minutes before 5:30 PM, most members of the Political Secretariat were notified by text message to attend the Kifisia headquarters, despite the next meeting of the Political Secretariat being scheduled for the following Tuesday.

Sources suggest that new interventions from Kasselakis’ circles are expected in the coming hours, as protests from his supporters intensify, claiming the recent Central Committee decision was “unconstitutional.”

According to information from protothema.gr, Kasselakis’ supporters are considering challenging the vote of no confidence at the next Central Committee session on October 21-22.

The Central Committee’s Decision on Kasselakis’ Removal

Meanwhile, shortly after the announcement of the emergency meeting, the decision of the Central Committee was made public, detailing the dynamics that led to Stefanos Kasselakis’ removal.

Decision of the Central Committee Meeting of SYRIZA-PS, September 7-8, 2024

The Central Committee of SYRIZA-PS, at its meeting on September 7-8, 2024, made the following decisions:

1. According to Article 20, Paragraph 4 of the SYRIZA-PS Statute, an extraordinary congress will be convened to elect a new President.

(Results of the vote on the motion of no confidence, as read by the Chair of the Electoral Committee and recorded in the minutes of the meeting:
Registered: 294
Voted: 286
Valid: 283
Invalid: 1
RESULTS:
FOR the Motion of No Confidence: 163 votes
AGAINST the Motion of No Confidence: 120 votes
ABSTENTIONS: 2)

2. The party will be represented at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) by the Head of the Parliamentary Group, Nikos Pappas.
3. The Political Secretariat of SYRIZA-PS is to meet immediately and is authorized to present a proposal at the next Central Committee meeting, scheduled for September 21-22, 2024, regarding the roadmap and any other issues to be discussed at the extraordinary congress.