SYRIZA roiled over identity survey, secretariat to reconvene Tuesday
Turmoil has gripped the main opposition party SYRIZA’s internal politics following the circulation of a survey that sought party members’ opinions on the party’s identity. The political secretariat convened an emergency meeting on Monday, in the absence of the party’s leader Stefanos Kasselakis, ahead of a scheduled party congress on Thursday.
Kasselakis distributed a questionnaire on SYRIZA’s online platform “iSYRIZA” over the weekend, seeking party members’ assessment of the party’s identity, logo and name. Party officials reacted strongly to Kasselakis’ initiative, expressing uncertainty about the purpose of the upcoming party congress.
In an attempt to foster internal clarity, the political secretariat of the party has called for an emergency meeting on midday Monday.
Before the political secretariat meeting, a leaked letter from Kasselakis informed party officials of his absence from Monday’s meeting. In the letter, he emphasized that the questionnaire’s results would not be disclosed, urging SYRIZA’s political secretariat members to refrain from “spreading conspiracy theories” regarding the upcoming party congress.
The political secretariat meeting proceeded despite Kasselakis’ absence, as was in London to speak at a conference on Monday evening on the modern Left at the London School of Economics (LSE).
After the conclusion of Monday’s emergency meeting, the political secretariat released a statement saying, “We are a party of members, not a party of officials, and certainly not a party led by one person.”
“Another political secretariat meeting will be held Tuesday. We are embarking on the necessary democratic change,” concluded the statement.
According to sources, the division within Greece’s main opposition party is deepening, with the political secretariat proposing the immediate convening of the central committee before the start of Thursday’s scheduled congress.
