SYRIZA polarized ahead of final showdown
With the second round of elections for a new SYRIZA leader just two days away, the bickering between the rival camps of Stefanos Kasselakis and Effie Achtsioglou is becoming more intense. The polarization however has also led to predictions that there will not be a large abstention rate compared to the first round.
For her part, Achtsioglou, a former labor minister, called on newcomer Kasselakis, who caused an upset in the first round with a resounding victory, to take a stand regarding accusations that she had undermined former party leader Alexis Tsipras. “It would be a minimum sign of political culture to condemn these attacks so that we can move forward with a step that is political,” she said.
However, Kasselakis’ response further fueled the tension: “How should I know? I have been on the front line for a month… ask people who have knowledge,” he said. However, he later said: “I completely believe her. I want to clarify again: In SYRIZA, I have competitors, not opponents.”
Achtsioglou also took issue with Kasselakis’ refusal to take part in a public debate on his political positions.
Kasselakis has responded saying that he wanted a debate before the first round of elections.“But the people have now spoken,” he said.
The rival camps also joined the fray, with Nikos Filis claiming that Kasselakis was an associate of current conservative PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis between 2012 and 2015 and that he was on board with the memorandum policies signed during the Greek financial crisis, while Giorgos Tsipras doubled down on the assertion that Alexis Tsipras had been undermined, stating that Achtsioglou was on the side of those who wanted him to step down from the party leadership.
