Stefanos Kasselakis

Stefanos Kasselakis scored a new defeat yesterday, with him being declared officially deposed by the Political Secretariat which ratified the decision taken last Sunday by the Central Committee of SYRIZA.

The reappearance of Kaselakis

After several twenty-four hours of silence, the ousted president of SYRIZA reappeared yesterday in the most episodic way.

It all started when the lawyer and former director of the office of Stefanos Kasselakis, Manolis Kapnisakis raised the issue of who has criminal and administrative responsibilities in SYRIZA after the decision of the Central Committee.

On the subject, the following leak was made from the environment of St. Kasselakis: “Manolis Kapnisakis called secretary Rania Svigou yesterday and asked her the following question: administratively and criminally, who is responsible for the party? She did not receive an answer and then Stefanos Kasselakis called Rania Svigou and asked her exactly the same question.

Mrs. Svigou, always with the same leak, referred Mr. Kasselakis to the director of the party, Christos Mavrokephalidis, who allegedly replied that “the responsibility for the party rests with you, unless you sign a power of attorney.” And then St. Kasselakis is said to have replied to him “how can I sign your power of attorney if I don’t know what decisions are being made?”.

This scenario caused the convergence of an extraordinary meeting before the one scheduled for next Tuesday in order to discuss whether or not Stefanos Kasselakis is considered dismissed.

According to information, for their part, “87” and Pavlos Polakis spoke of a “failed Capitol a la Greca” referring to the phone call made by Stefanos Kasselakis to the director of SYRIZA, Christos Mavrokephalidis, asking him for the keys to go up to the president’s office in Koumoundourou.

The tension outside the SYRIZA offices and “peace with you” Kasselakis

Upon the arrival of the members of the Political Secretariat, people gathered outside Koumoundourou, mainly supporters of Stefanos Kasselakis, where they cheered Mr. Polaki, Theocharopoulos and Gerovasilis and other members of the Political Secretariat.

Some of those present tried to calm the spirits while the presence of the police was discreet and did not have to intervene.

This event caused the intervention of Stefanos Kasselakis, who in his post spoke of provocations against him.

“Because at the moment there are incredible provocations – from false dialogues to false invitations – (even my alleged supporter in a Trump hat was drafted!), I want to ask the friends of SYRIZA not to organize protest rallies.

And above all not to sabotage the visit of the Head of the K.O. of SYRIZA – PS, Nikos Pappas, at TEF. Against diversion, composure, patience and self-restraint are our strength.

Turn your anger into creation. I’m here,” he said.

Because there are currently incredible provocations – from false dialogues to false invitations – (even my alleged supporter in a Trump hat was drafted!), I want to ask the friends of SYRIZA not to organize protest rallies.

And above all not to…

— Stefanos Kasselakis (@skasselakis) September 12, 2024

According to the latest developments, within the next few days he is expected to make announcements and specifically to run for the leadership of the party.

The final decision

At the extraordinary meeting of the Political Secretariat of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, with votes 17-1-1, it was decided that Stefanos Kasselakis is deposed from the position of the president of SYRIZA.

Theodora Tzakri spoke against the removal of Stefanos Kasselakis, while Olympia Teligioridou voted “present”.

The decision in detail:

“Decision of the Political Secretariat of SYRIZA Progressive Alliance
The KE of SYRIZA-PS, the highest body of the party and authentic interpreter of the Statute, by voting in favor of the no-confidence motion, declared Stefanos Kasselakis automatically dismissed from the office of party president and activated the provisions of the statute for the holding of an extraordinary Congress of the party .

Respecting the decisions of the collective bodies of the Party and observing the constitution and party procedures is an obligation for every member and executive and no one is superior to them.

Therefore, this issue is over.”

What Theodora Tzakri said

“The replacement process that was followed in order to challenge and dismiss the elected president of SYRIZA-PS Stefanos Kasselakis for a three-year term is not only a historical political misstep, but also an irregular action that leads to political and administrative paralysis of the party organization.

The haste of the party bureaucracy to depose the President Stefanos Kasselakis, elected for a three-year term, at the same time as the decision of the Central Committee, causes political and administrative paralysis in the Party Organization, since no valid administrative act or act of representation of the party can be carried out .

Any powers of attorney for current day-to-day management operations relating to the party given by the president are valid only so long as the authorizing president remains in office.

If the delegate fell, as the party bureaucracy claims, the proxies were also dragged along.

There is no principal, no principal.
So the power of attorney of Stefanos Kasselakis to Christos Mavrokephalidis for the management of the party’s finances is either in effect with the president in his place or it was abolished because the president resigned and he legally accompanied it by abolishing it.

The solution is one: the unanimous and unanimous recognition of the legal rule that the president remains in office legally, politically and institutionally until he is replaced or re-elected.

Neither legally nor politically is it meant for the party to remain headless.

Otherwise, the prolongation of the administrative vacuum entails political collapse and economic bankruptcy”.

Pavlos Polakis launched a direct attack against Stefanos Kasselakis in his statements to OPEN. The SYRIZA MP pointed out, among other things, that he was wrong to support him for the presidency of the party.

“I was wrong to support Kasselakis. I decided last summer that we should regroup SYRIZA after Tsipras resigned. I considered that Mrs. Ahtsioglou could not lead things to the rechristening of SYRIZA and I considered that Stefanos Kasselakis as an intelligent, young child, not caught, said proposals with which I largely agreed, seeing that he had penetration among young people, he could proceed with a process of reconstruction of SYRIZA” he said initially.

Then speaking about where he believes he made a mistake, Mr. Kasselakis pointed out: “He lost it in a lot. In the first place he did not form a political staff. The parties of the left are not a one-man institution, although a leader is necessary. With Tsirpa there were instruments and they worked but there we fell into a story with a mechanism that was fleshing out. The hyper-promotion of his personal life covered up many things and rightly what he said and which was the result of the work of several people” added Mr. Polakis.

“It was a one man show in the European elections”

He then spoke about the friction they had stating: “I first disagreed with the stance on the F-35s and the yes that Kasselakis said and said that there must be an agreement in the institutions. He had spoken to me a bit badly but I didn’t say anything. Then I disagreed with the law on same-sex couples, it is unheard of for the government not to impose party discipline and for the opposition to do so. Why did we have to keep the declared Mitsotakis, because it is a matter of rights? If I were homophobic, I wouldn’t support Kasselakis for president, added the MP of Chania, but I don’t accept that it is the dominant thing in your political presence”.

In fact, he also referred to the European elections, but also to Stefanos Kasselakis’ Pothen Esches. “In the European elections, it was a one man show, we did not share anything with the Political Secretariat and the other institutions. We were greatly damaged by the story of where did you come from. These should not be at the forefront of the political presence” he said among other things.

Apostolos Gletsos expressed his availability for the leadership of SYRIZA a few hours after accepting the motion of censure against Stefanos Kasselakis.

“I declare myself present in the process for the election of the president of SYRIZA PS, with great emotion and a high sense of responsibility, for the left and the Motherland” wrote Apostolos Gletsos.

Now the eyes are turned to the candidacies for the presidency of SYRIZA.

It is worth mentioning that the candidacy of Pavlos Polakis, who declares everywhere his availability for the position of president, must be considered a given

However, the Kasselakis camp has already begun to deconstruct the decision of the Central Committee through various supporters who talk about hoods and a coup. They also oppose Alexis Tsipras.

In the opposing bloc, those who caused the impeachment of the president are sure that there is no possibility of overturning the decision taken by the Central Committee to elect a president.