New SYRIZA leader faces pushback

The new leader of the opposition, Stefanos Kasselakis, began his tenure as leader of the left-wing SYRIZA party by making some modest personnel changes that have already resulted in pushback.

Also, Kasselakis failed to persuade his main rival for the party leadership, lawmaker Effie Achtsioglou, to take any leadership role in the party or the parliamentary group.

Achtsioglou said on Tuesday she will not be taking up any role within the party in the immediate future following a grueling leadership campaign that started in July.

The 38-year-old former labor minister met with Kasselakis, who told her that any position was hers for the taking.

“I told him that, at the present stage of my life, I do not have the ability to take up any position, because after being in the front line of the opposition for two years, and consecutive election contests, I do not have that energy. It is a purely personal decision,” Achtsioglou told journalists after the meeting.

“I don’t have the energy to take on any other position at the moment other than the one of a lawmaker representing Athens West,” she added, referring to the multi-seat constituency where she was elected.

Achtsioglou said she and Kasselakis “exchanged some views” and she told him that she will offer her advice, if requested.

In the leadership contest that took place over two rounds, Kasselakis received 55.98% of the votes, while Achtsioglou got 44.02%, according to the final results announced on Monday. A total of 134,420 members voted.

Two of the persons Kasselakis replaced, the party spokesman and the director of SYRIZA’s parliamentary group, complained Tuesday that they had learned about it on social media and not from the new leader.

And at least two veteran SYRIZA officials severely criticized Kasselakis; one, former minister Nikos Filis, said his style resembled Donald Trump.