In his first reaction following the rejection of his candidacy for the presidency of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, Stefanos Kasselakis, aiming for maximum mobilization of his supporters, called them to organizational readiness within the party’s Member Organizations, ahead of the upcoming conference.
In a brief video, Kasselakis told his followers, “I ask you to become a great wave of democracy that will sweep away all these mechanisms,” adding that “the minority of the members of an organ prohibited the legally elected president of the party from running for re-election.”
Despite the fact that the decision to exclude him was taken democratically through a vote with a large majority, the former SYRIZA-PA president is questioning the legitimacy of the decision, while the Kasselistas had previously refused to attend the Central Committee meeting to prevent a quorum from being reached.
However, the Kasselistas’ attempt to block the Central Committee’s meeting backfired, highlighting their ongoing weakness in gaining majority support within SYRIZA-PA’s leadership bodies. They now seek to overturn these decisions at the upcoming conference, the party’s highest authority. Meanwhile, SYRIZA headquarters responded harshly to Kasselakis’ statement, calling the Central Committee’s decision “immediately enforceable and irrevocable,” stressing that the body had a valid quorum despite attempts to block it.
Kasselakis’ camp reacted by labeling these statements as “Stalinist” in tone, escalating the confrontation within the party.
Alternative plans and potential candidates
Faced with the evolving power dynamics, Kasselakis’ camp is developing alternative strategies, in case the conference is delayed, even though some argue it “should have happened yesterday.” One extreme measure under consideration is an internal party referendum to challenge Kasselakis’ exclusion from the leadership race.
Various scenarios are being considered for the internal elections, ignited by Theodora Tzakri’s statement: “If they want, they can expel him. Then we will elect Kasselakis’ jacket with 92%.”
Other potential candidates
There are rumors about other potential candidates for the presidency with Kasselakis’ backing, including Rena Dourou. While Dourou has remained silent in recent months, two of her closest associates attended the Central Committee meeting, which helped establish the quorum needed to proceed with the decision on Kasselakis’ candidacy.
Additionally, some Kasselistas suggest that Theodora Tzakri might run in the internal elections. Another name mentioned is MP Elena Akrita, who has recently appeared frequently in the media.
In response to a question about Tzakri’s possible candidacy, Socrates Famellos remarked that “we must all ensure that SYRIZA and its seriousness are preserved.”
SYRIZA’s stance ahead of the conference
In this context, SYRIZA officials like Kostas Zachariadis have emphasized that the party has the right to defend itself against disintegrating forces, stating: “We are in a state of defense.”
SYRIZA’s internal conference is set to proceed as scheduled, with candidate nominations closing by October 24.
