Internal opposition pulls out of Greek left in heated meeting

1 year ago 42

Following months of disagreements and clashes, a key opposition fraction decided to leave leftist Syriza party in a move seen by some as a further blow to left’s unity, while others described it as a relief for the new leadership.

Over the weekend, a two-day meeting of the Central Committee of the main opposition Syriza party confirmed the sharp divisions within Greece’s leftist camp.

A fraction (the so-called ‘Umbrella”) led by former finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos and consisting of 46 members (two of them elected MPs) sent a letter confirming their departure from Syriza.

The “Umbrella” represents the traditional hardline left fraction within Syriza.

The clashes erupted right after Stefanos Kasselakis, a 35-year-old US resident and businessman, previously unknown in Greece, managed to win the main opposition Syriza party’s leadership in late September.

Following a heavy electoral defeat last July, Kasselakis replaced former PM Alexis Tsipras in the party’s leadership, beating the then front runner Efi Achtsioglou.

But since then, the “Umbrella”, which backed Achtsioglou, has publicly criticised the new leadership, pointing out that Kasselakis has nothing to do with leftist values.

They branded him as a neo-liberal in disguise, considering his business activities in the shipping sector as well as the fact that, in the past, he also worked for Goldman Sachs.

For her part, Achtsioglou said she would remain in the party, although sources close to her criticised Kasselakis for being divisive by inventing “internal enemies”.

On the other hand, Kasselakis and his supporters claim that the two-day conference ended up with more unity and cohesion for the party as the long-standing troublemakers from the hardline left pulled out.

Critics suggest that the “Umbrella” has always put obstacles to Tsipras himself by frequently putting him in a tough position with their public statements often going against the party line.

However, the internal opposition could not question Tsipras, considering the leftist voters’ strong public support.

In an interview with Documento journal, Kasselakis said after the departure of Alexis Tsipras from the presidency of the party, “pathologies and conflicts came to the surface that remained for a long time under the carpet or pending thanks to the charismatic leadership of Tsipras”.

Kasselakis has said the internal opposition did not respect the results of the internal elections as he was elected in an open vote by Syriza members. The “Umbrella” had opposed a vote by the party’s members.

Crucial meetings in Brussels

Last week, Kasselakis visited Brussels and held meetings with EU officials such as EU Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni and the head of EU Parliament’s LIBE committee socialist Fernando López Aguilar.

Aguilar, dealing with the much-discussed wiretapping scandal in Greece, posted on X platform that he had a “friendly talk” with Stefanos Kaselakis “around shares concerns of the Progressive strategy and commitments on EU challenges ahead”.

When he was Syriza’s leader, Tsipras used to be invited as an observer at the meetings of EU socialists who considered him ideologically on the same page, although Syriza is officially affiliated with the EU left.

The official member of EU socialists in Greece is the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok).

A source close to Kasselakis said last week that Syriza will remain in the EU left but emphasised that the party’s role will become a “bridge” between the EU Left, the Socialists and the Greens.

According to the latest poll, the ruling New Democracy party (EPP) ranks first with 34.1%, followed by Syriza (13.5%) and Pasok (12.7%).

Pressure is mounting on Syriza and Pasok to join forces to take down conservatives; However, such a possibility before the June 2024 EU elections seems unlikely.

Both Kasselakis and Pasok leader Nikos Androulakis have been competing over who represents the “progressive front” in Greek politics, and not everybody supports such a coalition.

In Syriza, the traditional left has always disapproved of such a coalition, while in Pasok, there is a fraction considered closer to ruling New Democracy than Syriza.

At the local elections held last month, progressive candidates won key municipalities after Syriza and Pasok collaborated.

Critics estimate that after the EU elections, the landscape will be clearer and developments for such a coalition may arise.

(Sarantis Michalopoulos | Euractiv.com)