SYRIZA’s fate hanging in the balance
Greece’s main opposition party, SYRIZA, is facing its most significant internal crisis in years as tensions mount over the political future of former party leader Stefanos Kasselakis.
The central committee is set to convene this weekend to decide whether to allow Kasselakis to remain in the race for the party’s leadership or face expulsion – a move that could deepen the divide within the party and threaten its unity.
The turmoil erupted after Kasselakis, who served briefly as party president, issued a legal challenge following the public leak of his financial disclosures.
He sent a formal notice questioning the handling of the matter by the party, sparking outrage among senior party officials.
Members of the influential “Group of 87,” a faction within SYRIZA, have accused Kasselakis of crossing a “red line” by taking legal action against the party he aims to lead.
The fallout has left SYRIZA navigating uncharted waters. The party, already weakened by its loss in the most recent general election, now faces the prospect of a bitter leadership contest that could fracture the opposition and disrupt the upcoming party congress. A decision to bar Kasselakis from running could catalyze a formal split, with some factions already positioning themselves for a potential break.
The issue of Kasselakis’ expulsion has loomed large in internal discussions. While some argue that the former leader’s actions warrant his removal, others caution against an overly aggressive response. “If you ask for my opinion on the legal notice, I believe it should be referred to the central committee with the request for expulsion,” said Olga Gerovasili, a senior party official, during a heated meeting of SYRIZA’s political secretariat.
This weekend’s meeting could serve as a pivotal moment in the party’s history. Kasselakis’ critics have argued that his combative stance threatens to undermine SYRIZA’s core values. “We cannot allow him to dismantle SYRIZA from within,” said Kostas Zachariadis, another prominent figure in the party. “If he wants to tear the party apart, let him try from the outside.”
The divisions within SYRIZA reflect broader anxieties over the future of the Greek left. While some members of the party’s leadership are determined to maintain unity, others view Kasselakis’ actions as symptomatic of deeper ideological differences that have yet to be fully reconciled.
