SYRIZA Leader Vows to Close Gap With New Democracy

SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis told the Delphi Economic Forum that his party will close the gap with ruling New Democracy and “shock Europe and the country” in the upcoming European Parliament elections.

The main opposition party leader said it was his responsibility “for the renewed SYRIZA to put forth a new governance team as well as program.” When asked about the state of the economy, Kasselakis highlighted that while Greece’s fiscal stability in terms of debt-to-GDP was “positive,” the country’s convergence with the European Union has been “despicable.”

He claimed Greek taxes are as high as in Sweden, and that Greeks have a purchasing power just above that of Bulgarians and see very little private investment in their country. On the war in Ukraine, Kasseslakis said he is in favor of Greece providing humanitarian aid but not military equipment to Kyiv.

Kasselakis since taking over leadership of Syriza

Kasselakis started his brief military service in an army barrack in Thebes in March. He received basic military training for twenty days.

Military service is mandatory for all Greek males. Kasselakis had been exempt from military service, as he had been residing in the US since age fourteen. When he returned to Greece, he had two options. He could either spend six months in the military or serve for three weeks and buy off the rest of his time.

While it has a sizeable number of professional troops, Greece’s military is still conscription-based with service in most cases set at twelve months.

Before entering the army barracks, he was welcomed by locals in the the central square of Thebes, where he was offered gifts and wished well. Some said it was their honor to have the leader of the opposition in the town.

“It is an honor to be here to serve my country as an expatriate who has returned to contribute to his country,” Kasselakis said.

In March, he posted a video on TikTok with an “army-style” haircut. The video begins with Kasselakis holding his dog, Farley, and saying, “I’m going to miss her.” The hairdresser asks how he would like his hair done and he replies: “SYRIZA,” which, in Greek, means very short and to the roots.

When asked about the parting of his hair, he says: “Toward the left, where my heart beats.”
Kasselakis, 36, a former businessman without political experience who is gay, was the surprise winner at the SYRIZA elections held last September.

He took the reigns of the party a few months after the catastrophic election results in June and July 2023 after which the former leader and former PM Alexis Tsipras was forced to resign.

His meteoric rise to leadership had upset many left-wing traditionalists who accused him of “right-wing populism” and authoritarian practices.

On November 23, 2023, nine Members of Parliament (MPs), one Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and fifty-seven central committee members declared their departure from the political party in protest of Kasselakis’ leadership.

Notable figures among them included Effi Achtsioglou along with other former ministers. A few days later, previously resigned MPs Euclid Tsakalotos and Peti Perka joined forces with the nine MPs to announce the establishment of a new political entity called the “New Left.”