Kasselakis barred from SYRIZA leadership contest
Stefanos Kasselakis cannot be a candidate for his own succession, SYRIZA’s central committee has decided.
Out of 152 central committee members, 138 voted not to accept Kasselakis’ candidacy Saturday evening.
The central committee has 293 members, but Kasselakis’ supporters in it decided to boycott the meeting, in an Athens hotel, hoping there wouldn’t be a quorum. Only MP Theodora Tzakiri attended the meeting to denounce a “coup” against the former SYRIZA leader.
Kasselakis himself did not attend, and neither did leadership candidate Pavlos Polakis, who had turned against Kasselakis but opposed his exclusion from the leadership contest.
Following the vote, Kasselakis said he would face his detractors at next month’s party congress.
Tension has ratcheted up in the runup to the leadership contest, with pro-and anti-Kasselakis forces exchanging harsh words and Kasselakis himself sending a subpoena to his own party because his income sources statement was published in a SYRIZA-friendly newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton.
In the event, all candidates’ income sources statements were made public, and Kasselakis, who claimed, incorrectly, that his subpoena had forced the publication, withdrew it.
Kasselakis supporters gathered outside the hotel where the central committee meeting took place and shouted insults against the party cadre.
Kasselakis, who was ousted as leader in September, just days before his first anniversary as leader, insists he is “de facto and de jure” SYRIZA leader.
It is not clear whether he would win the contest, if allowed to take part, but he has a devoted following among party members.
The final list of leadership candidates will be announced October 24. An extraordinary party congress will convene on 8-10 November. The first round of the contest will take place November 24, and, if necessary, a runoff on December 1.
