Former 'Hope for Democracy' Members Counter Karystianou: 'We Left on Principle'

Former members of the "Elpida gia ti Dimokratia" (Hope for Democracy) movement have responded to recent public statements by Maria Karystianou regarding their departures. They assert their decision to leave was not driven by personal ambition or a pursuit of office, but by significant political and organizational disagreements concerning the party's operational methods.

In a joint statement signed by 22 former members, they declared, "Departure is not a lack of character. It is a right and, when necessary, a matter of principle." They rejected the notion that those who left did so due to personal aspirations or an inability to cope.

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Departure is not a lack of character. It is a right and, when necessary, a matter of principle.

The signatories emphasized their initial belief in creating a grassroots, citizen-led movement characterized by transparency, accountability, and meaningful public participation in decision-making. However, they claim to have observed practices that concentrated decision-making authority within a small group, describing a centralized operational model that deviated from the movement's initial declarations.

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Criticism is not betrayal. Disagreement is not undermining. Departure is not a lack of character.

"Criticism is not betrayal. Disagreement is not undermining. Departure is not a lack of character," they stated, maintaining that their choice to leave was a consistent stance with the principles that initially motivated their involvement. They argued that a political movement seeking public trust must operate with clear, institutionalized, and democratic rules for both its bodies and decision-making processes.

The former members raised questions about the movement's functioning, inquiring about decision-makers, oversight of leadership, member participation, and transparency mechanisms. They clarified that they did not abandon their core principles but left because, in their view, these principles were no longer being upheld as they deemed necessary. They affirmed their continued commitment to the same values, each pursuing their own path, and urged the public to judge them based on their actions and reasons for leaving.

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We did not leave out of a need for transparency and social justice, nor did we leave the citizens who believed in a different Greece.