SYRIZA to Elect New Leader Saturday Amidst Mass Defections

SYRIZA is set to elect a new leader on Saturday morning, proceeding with the presidential election despite a significant exodus of its parliamentary members. The party has seen 14 lawmakers depart, leaving it with fewer representatives than the Communist Party of Greece.

The election for the president of SYRIZA – Progressive SYRIZA is scheduled to take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Athens Concert Hall. This comes after a series of resignations, including Popi Tsapanidou, Kostas Barkas, and Kalliopi Vetta, who sent letters of independence to the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament. The party, which elected 47 lawmakers in the 2023 elections, has now lost more than half of its parliamentary group.

Among the candidates is Rena Dourou, who has publicly stated her intention to run, seemingly in response to an indirect request from Pavlos Polakis, another candidate, for her to withdraw. Dourou stated, "I do not respond to circles," and explained that her candidacy addresses a pressing need within the party. She emphasized that her decision was made during a difficult time for the party and the Left, stating, "I am responding to a need."

Dourou drew parallels to her past, recalling how she took on the leadership of the Attica region in 2014 when others refused, leading to a historic victory for the Left. She stressed her readiness to "get ruffled" and prioritize the collective good. She also highlighted the importance of collective leadership characterized by transparency, especially as the party heads towards the Thessaloniki International Fair and then to local communities. Dourou also addressed her stance on Alexis Tsipras's political faction, stating she would treat it as she treats all parties identifying with the Left, acknowledging that elections are inherently competitive.