SYRIZA has a new leader, but unity is elusive
Kasselakis’ supporters hope that he can prevail without too much attrition, like Tsipras did
The day after the triumphant election of political neophyte Stefanos Kasselakis as a new opposition leader finds left-wing SYRIZA facing a new era, after 15 years of Alexis Tsipras’ leadership.
When Tsipras, then 34, was elected leader, SYRIZA was a few months removed from a national election in which it had got 5.04%; it would lose ground in the 2009 election, before the financial crisis and popular anger over austerity measures catapulted it to the main opposition spot in 2012, winning 16.79% and 26.89% in two successive elections that year.
Tsipras abolished factions within the party; was triumphantly elected prime minister twice, in January and September 2015; signed, despite his stated intentions, a third austerity agreement with Greece’s creditors; and saw SYRIZA’s left wing abandon the party as a result, but compensated by attracting former socialist, centrist, even right-wing populist MPs.
SYRIZA remains a deeply divided party and it is still unknown whether Kasselakis’ easy but not overwhelming win, with nearly 57% of the members’ vote, will impose a measure of unity.
Past midnight, on Sunday, when the losing candidate, Effie Achtsioglou, went to the party’s headquarters, several SYRIZA youth greeted her warmly, chanting an old leftist slogan: “struggle, rupture, overthrow, history is written with disobedience” (it rhymes in Greek). When Kasselakis turned up shortly after, his supporters chanted “Stefanos, go ahead, change everything.” There was palpable tension between the two groups.
Kasselakis’ supporters look forward to a rebirth of the party that will maintain its pre-eminence in the center-left and challenge the ruling New Democracy for power. The old hands and the left wing of the party fret that the dominance of PR and social media will undermine the party’s radical outlook.
Kasselakis will face his first challenge soon: the local and regional elections on October 8 and 15, not on favorable ground, as even third place has deeper roots in local government.
Then comes the party congress later this year that will test party unity.
Finally, next June’s European Parliament elections, will be Kasselakis’ first major test on a national scale. The goal to be a score high enough to make SYRIZA a credible party of government again.
