Independent Greeks leader proposes working with SYRIZA
Independent Greeks leader Panos Kammenos proposed on Thursday that his anti-bailout party join forces with SYRIZA for the local government elections to be held next year but there was no response from the leftists, who faced some internal strife following this week’s parliamentary vote on stopping state funding for Golden Dawn.
Second World War veteran Manolis Glezos was one of two SYRIZA MPs that did not support the legislation on Tuesday night and on Thursday he posted a comment online decrying the lack of freedom within the leftist party. Glezos accused the party’s leadership of trying to pen members in. He claimed that this attitude has spread “like a virus” through the party.
Glezos also opposed the party’s new central decision-making process, when it was agreed at a congress in the summer. “By adopting practices and tendencies that led Greece to the cliff’s edge, we are proving all those citizens that are putting their faith in SYRIZA wrong,” said Glezos on Thursday.
Kammenos, meanwhile, suggested that candidates from his party and SYRIZA could appear on a common ticket at next year’s elections. The right-wing politician said that he would like “anti-memorandum forces” to unite for the polls. Kammenos said contacts with SYRIZA and its leader, Alexis Tsipras, were continuing. “We sit at the same table with Mr Tsipras and our discussion is public,” he said. “This is more honest than two leaders locking themselves in an office.”
