Stefanos Kasselakis: SYRIZA’s New Leader Shaping the Future of the Party

Stefanos Kasselakis: SYRIZA’s New Leader Shaping the Future of the Party

Stefanos Kasselakis: The New Face of SYRIZA

Stefanos Kasselakis, the newly elected president of SYRIZA, is making waves in the political landscape of Greece. The former Goldman Sachs trader, now leading a leftist party, has begun shaping the future of the party by announcing key appointments. The appointments largely consist of his close collaborators and personnel who have played crucial roles in his journey so far. The focus now shifts to local elections, where the new leader is expected to meet and support candidates, initially in Attica and then the region. There is also a high priority placed on Thessaly, where residents are still recovering from recent difficulties.

Key Appointments and Reactions

Kasselakis’ first key appointments have already stirred reactions. Lawyer Manolis Kapnisakis is set to become the deputy of his political office, while former MP and journalist Dora Avgeri is slated to become the spokesperson, replacing Stergios Kalpakis. Georgios Tsipras will replace Thanasis Theocharopoulos as the deputy of the parliamentary group. However, both Kalpakis and Theocharopoulos stated they found out about their replacements through the media.

Socrates Famellos, on the other hand, will remain in his position as president of SYRIZA’s Parliamentary Group, as announced by Kasselakis himself. However, Effie Achtsioglou, declined to take a frontline position in the new SYRIZA setup after her meeting with Kasselakis. She stated that she does not currently have the energy to take on any additional role beyond that of MP for Athens.

Internal Critiques and Responses

Despite the new leadership and direction, not everyone within the party is supportive of Kasselakis’ approach. Critics within the party, like Nikos Filis, have compared him to Donald Trump and accused him of forgetting about the Left. Filis also criticised the appointment of retired Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, stating that the party is not a military to issue daily orders. In response to Filis’ criticisms, the party spokesperson, Dora Avgeri, stated that he is opposing the government, and that he is not understanding what people are saying.

The Road Ahead

Kasselakis is set to visit Cyprus on his first trip outside Greece as the president of SYRIZA. His visit follows congratulatory calls from the President of the Republic and the General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou. Both emphasized the importance of restarting talks for a fair and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue.

As Stefanos Kasselakis takes the reins of SYRIZA, he is tasked with defining his political positions while maintaining the unity of the party. His unconventional path to leadership and his promises to “change it all” have sparked interest and hope among many. However, only time will tell how his leadership will shape the future of SYRIZA and its role in Greece’s political landscape.