SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance has entered a final clarification phase in view of the constitutional conference at the beginning of next October and the internal party armies are being rearranged. The president of the party Stefanos Kasselakis, who is marching towards the first year of his term as the leader of SYRIZA-PS, has before him the specter of a third split. If this happens, a development that is very likely, this time it will be more resounding, as it will be about persons who had a close political relationship with the former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
The last coordinated moves of the “87” group, the so-called “Tsipras block”, have activated the reflexes of the Kasselakis group
St. Kasselakis, being fully aware of internal party relationships, organizes himself and tries to keep solid the alliances he has with persons of the old guard. Without them, moreover, the upcoming congress will not be a healthy walk in the fertile intra-party valley.
Even the case of Pavlos Polakis is being re-examined, because the current leadership group understands that without the Cretan politician, it is weakened to a great extent, especially in view of the conference, where a lot will be decided for the future not only of SYRIZA, but also of Mr. Kasselakis himself.
The last coordinated movements of the “87” group, the so-called “Tsipras block” in which executives such as Olga Gerovasili have a central role, have activated the reflexes of the Kasselakis group which is being organized.
Stefanos Kasselakis, seeing this pressure that is being exerted and which will intensify on the way to the conference, still has influential executives by his side, such as e.g. Nikos Pappas, Rena Dourou, secretary Rania Svigou, but even Pavlos Polakis, despite his recent deletion, and a series of younger executives who supported him in the recent “battles” both in the Political Secretariat and in the Central Committee.
Papa’s role
The presence of Nikos Pappa next to St. Kasselaki is very important as the former minister has influence in a part of SYRIZA which is crucial for the president of the party to maintain intra-party supremacy. “We support Kasselakis” insists N. Pappas in all tones and in his conversations he maintains that the recent political decision of the Central Committee stipulates that the party will proceed in an organized manner.
According to the former minister, SYRIZA will hold its statutory conference, complete its transformation (digital operation, regional organization, universal participation of members at all levels, utilization of every executive, etc.), will attempt to strengthen and it will open the door to a grand electoral alliance with the progressive forces. Well, according to him, the role of SYRIZA-PS is as an independent and strong party, which will march as a leader and driving force with the goal of a progressive electoral alliance.
The support of Douro
Rena Dourou supports Mr. Kasselakis and does not participate in games to destabilize him, nor in discussions about the future without his presence in the leadership. It supports the scenario that SYRIZA-PS as official opposition is the rallying pole of democratic, progressive forces on the basis of a documented, credible alternative government program.
“A gathering that is too serious for the future of our country to be a field of personal strategies and party egos” he is used to saying and at the same time puts forward the opinion that the unity of progressive forces is not announced in party offices, nor is it prepared in backrooms, but is built publicly, at the base of society, with confrontations and compositions elsewhere and above all away from party liquidation scenarios that perpetuate the power of Mitsotakis.
In a rather factional way, he insists that “we need neither a “Casselist” nor an “anti-Casselist” but people who have proven in practice that the history of the left democratic faction is about enlisting in policies and not in persons.”
The Polaki shield
“Polakis is an executive of SYRIZA, this is non-negotiable” said a few days ago St. Kasselakis despite his removal from the Parliamentary Group. P. Polakis knows very well that the president of SYRIZA needs him for the conference, where according to him executives, such as Olga Gerovasili, Kostas Zachariadis and others, should “to get a cardigan”, implying that it will be an uphill battle.
And since this internal party process will be a battle for survival for Stefanos Kasselakis himself, P. Polakis is necessary next to him as he has a great influence on the party base but also on the body of delegates and on the KE. This practically means, as it emerges from the behind-the-scenes discussions, that Mr. Polakis will not only not be deleted from the party and therefore the half deletion will not be completed, which was requested by officials such as Olga Gerovasilis, Costas Zachariadis et al. , but it will also return to KO, not before TIF in mid-September, but at the end of the month, just before the conference.
The Svigou party
The choice of party secretary Rania Svigou to support St. Kasselakis. R. Svigou, demonstrating party patriotism, insists in her discussions that the fight is not within SYRIZA but outside and against the ND government and Kyriakos Mitsotakis and in this sense the elected president must continue to be supported with everything this means.
The support group
Stefanos Kasselakis does not rely only on the above-mentioned names of executives, but expands the circle of his supporters in the party and in KO. In addition to his constant advisor, State Member of Parliament, Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, he has allies from KO Theodora Tzakris, Vassilis Kokkalis, George Karameros, Nina Kasimati, Rallia Christidou, Petros Pappa, Costas Barkas, Yannis Sarakiotis, but also former members of parliament, such as Thanos Moraitis who is the director of KO.
The scripts for Famello
In this climate of introversion and intense rivalries, the debate within the party still dominates if and when Sokratis Famellos will be replaced by the head of KO, although it was the cadre together with N. Pappas who kept him in the leadership when challenged at the recent conference.
This is a scenario circulating before the European elections, but it intensified in the middle of the month, mainly the day after the recent EC and in the shadow of the debate about the “black funds” that also made Alexis Tsipras furious. In fact, there is a discussion about his replacement before the presence of Mr. Kasselakis at the TIF and among the names being heard is that of Ev. Apostolakis, N. Pappas and Rena Douros, which for many would be an ideal case.
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