Speaking in the aftermath of a tumultuous congress that left SYRIZA even more divided than before, main opposition leader Stefanos Kasselakis vowed on Monday to revamp the party ahead of the upcoming European elections.
“We need a strong party, a party [that is led] by its members, with new procedures and organizational methods, a party distant from the games of [political] correlations and balances,” he said.
“I have been entrusted with a strong mandate to undertake the necessary structural expansion to establish a great progressive alliance that will outmatch the Right led by [Prime Minister] Kyriakos Mitsotakis,” he said, without elaborating.
SYRIZA’s four-day congress, marked by uproar from the crowd and political back-and-forth, concluded on Sunday, leaving most key players politically damaged. A decision to hold a fresh leadership race was narrowly avoided at the last moment.
“The people of SYRIZA have spoken loud and clear. It is now our duty to organize the political counterattack of our party – the progressive counterattack. We will contest the European elections with all our might,” Kasselakis said.
“We seek the support of a social majority, whose quality of life is constantly deteriorating under every aspect of right-wing politics. We are not here to engage in empty talk or waste valuable political time,” he said.
“We look forward to rebuilding our wounded homeland. And we carefully contemplate our position within a Europe that has long ceased to be accountable to its citizens. In this Europe, we will wage the next major electoral battle,” he said.
The European Parliament elections are scheduled to take place between June 6-9.
