Historic developments in SYRIZA as well as with the text of the “Umbrella”, after a stormy and episodic meeting of the Central Committee of SYRIZA-PS. the divorce was sealed with the new leadership and the new reality in the party. Pre-announced divorce, as several heated episodes had preceded it, culminating in the conflict with the new president and the departure.
As previously announced by “Umbrella” in a text she announced her departure from the party. The text is signed by 46 members, including two MPs, Peti Perkas and Euclides Tsakalotos, the three who were referred to the Ethics Committee, Mr. Vitsas, Skourletis, Filis but also Voutsis, Dritsas, Xanthos among others.
Umbrella opened the door to the exit from the official opposition party, accusing Stefanos Kasselakis of Trumpism practices and persecution of historical figures of the faction.
«We feel the need to protect the political space that we have served for so many years from further encroachment. We, members of the Central Committee, declare that we are withdrawing from SYRIZA-PS.“, they mention. As far as their self-criticism is concerned, it is summed up in the phrase: We do not forget our own responsibilities.
With a postscript at the end of the text, the 45 members of “Umbrella” left open the possibility of a new organization and launched a fierce criticism of Stefanos Kasselakis. “To all those who have been hoping and seeking for years the end of the Left: you will not get rid of it so easily… The practice of Trumpism is being applied for the first time in history, especially in a party that has established pluralism, freedom of dissent , democracy itself».
Late on Sunday night and while his departure from SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance was announced as he was one of the 46 members of the “Umbrella”, Thodoris Dritsas announced the text of his departure from the party saying that “SYRIZA no longer exists”.
Tsakalotos and Perka do not deliver seats
The president of SYRIZA called on the MPs Euclid Tsakalotos and Peti Perkas who left to hand over the seats they took on the party’s back, as he said. In his deputation before the conclusion of the meeting of the Central Committee, Stefanos Kasselakis asked the two MPs who left, as well as the MEP Stelios Kouloglou who had left the previous period, to hand over their seats to the party in compliance with the code of ethics which, as read, states:All MPs are obliged to abide by the collective decisions of the party organs. All MPs elected with a SYRIZA ballot commit politically and morally that the seat they occupy belongs to the party and not to themselves».
The two MPs are expected to initiate the procedures for their independence today by announcing their intention to the presidium of the Parliament.
Apart from Stefanos Tzoumakas
Stefanos Tzoumakas also announced his departure from SYRIZA with strong criticism of Kasselakis. “In my places they say that the fish stinks from the head and SYRIZA is a headless body, it has no leadershiphe said in a statement.
The group of 6+6 did not leave but harshly criticized Kasselakis
The group of Efi Ahtsioglou moved along the same wavelength, accusing the president of trivializing politics and democracy.
- Ahtsioglou Group: Remains in the party but blames Kasselakis for a dead-end choice that trivializes the Left
With a harsh text, the group of executives close to Efi Ahtsioglou made a harsh criticism, they are not leaving, but hardening their stance: “The presence of Stefanos Kasselakis in the Central Committee of SYRIZA-PS was deeply offensive and divisive, they report and add that the responsibility for the developments weigh on him and the leadership team” they emphasized.
The text is signed by 11 persons: Sia Anagnostopoulou, Efi Ahtsioglou, Nasos Iliopoulos, Kostis Karpozilos, Danai Koltsida, Nikos Bistis, Michalis Sambatakakis, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, Meropi Tzoufi, Theano Fotiou, Alexis Haritsis.
«St. Kasselakis consciously chose instead of the path of composition, the path of the construction of the “internal enemy”. It is a dead-end option that belittles Politics, Democracy and the Leftthey reported.
An earlier fight between Kasselakis and Ahtsioglou was caused by a phone call that did not take place.
“Ms. Ahtsioglou received a call at 11:32 from an unknown number. She did not receive any message or information, while Mr. Kasselakis did not contact her in the way they had been communicating until now, that is, from a different phone number on his behalf,” Efi Ahtsioglou’s circles reported.
“No need for rebuttals when there’s the 11:32 call. Maybe he didn’t hear it or the phone was out of charge,” answered Mr. Kasselakis’ entourage.
Tebonera Group Joint Statement
We remain in the party, but we are not giving a blank check, was the message of Dionysis Teboneras and three other executives of Fotis Lambrinidis, Haris Tsioka and Christos Lambridis. They characterized Kasselaki’s speech as “contradictory and disorienting from the necessity of the party to express the needs of the people” stressing that “the absolute priority is for us, it is to respond to the emergency situation that the average Greek family has found itself in.”
“Now is not the time for “referendums” on deletions and arrangements, for arrangements supporting the insecurity of persons… We are not prepared to give a blank check either to one-person bodies, or to gatherings without ideological political depth. We asked and we ask for an extroverted concrete political plan ending with the conference.”
Yannis Dragasakis intervened in the developments with his post. “The new president has made his choices & they are deeply divisive & traumatic… I don’t know how much room there is still for SYRIZA-PS to remain a party of the Left” he noted.
Crossing the scope of a referendum and closing a meeting with a slogan to flee forward
The president of SYRIZA referred to the departure of the Umbrella members asking the present members of the central committee who at the meeting were essentially all or almost all close to the presidential side not to applaud for what has happened. “We cannot offend those who have placed their hopes in these people,” he said.
At the same time, Mr. Kasselakis chose, by taking a step back, to bridge the gap that had been created with executives who do not align themselves with the dissenters but are closer to him, however a point of intense friction was the issue of the referendum on deletions.
First, he made it clear that with the withdrawals there are no more deletions, so no reason for a referendum. Secondly, despite the fact that there would be no reference to a referendum in the text of the final decision, there were 6 executives Gerovasilis, Flambouraris, Theocharopoulos, Zachariadis, Xenogiannakopoulos, Ragousis who requested that it be clarified in the text of the decision that there will be no referendums on deletions. Obviously seeking to exclude such possibility in the future.
The president announced from the floor of the central committee that there will be wording in the text for people who spew such insults that they cannot bear the status of a member of SYRIZA, however disciplinary sanctions are imposed by the ethics committee. And he sent a unifying message: “Today begins the unity of SYRIZA” he said and asked the executives to postpone taking their responsibility and declare the present, working for the next day of the party that has started.
After the end of the meeting, executives with statements gave the signal to flee forward.
“Both personally and collectively we are saddened by the departure of our comrades and we always claim to have the greatest momentum, no one is spared from this battle and in order to respond to the needs of society we must be more and more, said the president of SYRIZA Sokratis Famellos .
“At a critical moment for our party we are obliged to stand up, to move forward for the great challenges of tomorrow for the great challenges of the following days” said Giorgos Vassiliadis, Deputy Secretary of SYRIZA.
“We have the mandate to continue in this way without property with our own mandate and only our duty the opposition to the Mitsotakis government” commented the SYRIZA MP, Nina Kassimati.
It is noted that the political decision of the Central Committee was voted unanimously.
