Turnout key as SYRIZA set to pick new leader
SYRIZA is holding its leadership contest Sunday, following the party’s drubbing in a double national election earlier this year. A potential low turnout, influenced by the disappointing election results and lackluster campaigns of the main contenders, may undermine the legitimacy of the new leader. To secure victory, a candidate must garner more than 50 percent of the votes, or, if no one achieves this threshold, they must prevail in a runoff.
The last-minute entry of Stefanos Kasselakis, a 35-year-old shipping investor who was virtually unknown until launching a blitz campaign in late August, could rejuvenate the supporters of the old guard who would not like to see the leftist party fall under the control of an outsider who promises to transform SYRIZA along the lines of the US Democratic Party.
Nevertheless, Effie Achtsioglou, a former labor minister, is still perceived as the front-runner in this race. The outcome will largely determine the future political direction of SYRIZA and whether it can present a substantial challenge to the ruling conservatives.
