The expulsion of MEP Nikos Pappas from SYRIZA–PS’s European Parliament group, following the beating of journalist Nikos Giannopoulos the day before yesterday in Strasbourg, is causing political side effects at Koumoundourou (SYRIZA headquarters). News from the Alsace bar where the incident took place traveled quickly to Athens as soon as it reached the ears of the head of the European group, Kostas Arvanitis, who summoned Nikos Pappas to his office yesterday morning for explanations.

This was a rather formal move, since the head of SYRIZA’s European group had already informed party president Sokratis Famelos by phone about the incident, with the Pappas case being set on a fast track toward his definitive expulsion from Koumoundourou.

Behind the scenes

Thus, early yesterday afternoon, SYRIZA president Sokratis Famelos removed Nikos Pappas from the party’s European group due to his “unacceptable behavior.” At the same time, according to Koumoundourou, Mr. Famelos is immediately requesting the ethics committee to expel him from SYRIZA. In fact, Sokratis Famelos informed the head of the European group, MEP Kostas Arvanitis, of his decision, while the Left group stated in an announcement after the events: “We take allegations of violence very seriously and we know that this member has been expelled from SYRIZA’s delegation. A formal procedure has been initiated within the Left group to reach a final decision regarding the position of the MEP in question within the Left group in the European Parliament.”

However, the decision to remove Nikos Pappas from SYRIZA–PS’s European group was not a simple matter for the party’s internal landscape, as MP for Chania Pavlos Polakis reportedly expressed doubts about how the incident unfolded, also pointing to the political cost of the expulsion at the current juncture.

As a result, new pockets of internal tension emerged, as SYRIZA officials recalled yesterday earlier moments of political defense of Mr. Pappas by Pavlos Polakis—such as when the latter publicly opposed the choice of Kostas Zachariadis as the party’s candidate for mayor of Athens instead of Nikos Pappas, on the eve of the local elections and while Alexis Tsipras had resigned from the party leadership.

Awkwardness among MPs

Nevertheless, SYRIZA MPs and officials remain shocked and uneasy after the incident, attempting to manage the new crisis even through offsetting comparisons.

“Sokratis Famelos expelled MEP Nikos Pappas in record time after he punched the excellent colleague Nikos Giannopoulos. Androulakis whistles indifferently over his own MP Paraskevaïdis, a homophobic and racist who sees jihadist migrants everywhere and homosexuals who offend the Christian ideal. It’s a shame, because once PASOK opened paths in human rights. Once,” said SYRIZA–PS MP Elena Akrita characteristically.

Turbulence in the European group

The beating of the well-known journalist by MEP Nikos Pappas—who, according to reliable sources, “has been finished since yesterday as far as SYRIZA is concerned”—brought to the surface dysfunctions within Koumoundourou’s European group, which now numbers only three members.

For example, the joint photos of MEP Nikolaos Farantouris with Maria Karystianou at a recent event last week, as well as their joint statement calling for “the application of European law,” constitute yet another problematic situation for Koumoundourou, at a time when SYRIZA–PS’s European group members are fewer than the fingers of one hand.

Pappas missing

Meanwhile, MEP Nikos Pappas intervened on social media in order to bypass the flagrante delicto procedure, remaining out of sight. In his post, Mr. Pappas admits that he reacted wrongly, but leaves insinuations about the condition in which, he claims, the journalist was. The journalist has received a wave of support from colleagues and members of the political world following the unprecedented incident.

The lawsuit

Journalist Nikos Giannopoulos, in his lawsuit, describes in full detail the brutal episode of his beating by MEP Nikos Pappas.

The criminal process against the MEP has already been set in motion, as the offense of using violence “by a person entrusted with a public service” does not fall under those that require the lifting of parliamentary immunity for proceedings to begin.