SYRIZA Leader Stefanos Kasselakis Discusses Leadership Bid in 'Documento' Amid PASOK Criticism

In an article titled "The Truths of a Year" published in the newspaper *Documento* on Sunday, Stefanos Kasselakis, leader of the main opposition party SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, detailed his decision to run for the party’s leadership in the summer of 2023.

Kasselakis outlined the key moments between June 18 and August 29, 2023, including his formal announcement and a significant meeting with former party leader Alexis Tsipras on August 25.

Kasselakis described Tsipras as having been “warm and polite” but warned him that the process would be challenging. The former leader's advice came before Kasselakis officially declared his candidacy, and he noted that Tsipras promised to address the subsequent strains in their relationship in a future article, emphasizing the party’s right to be informed.

The article also discussed Kasselakis’s increased media visibility in August, driven by a lack of available SYRIZA officials for TV panels and a subsequent surge of support on social media. Despite concerns about privacy from his partner, Tyler, Kasselakis felt it was the right time to announce his bid. He concluded by indicating that the article is the first in a series intended to reveal both "comfortable and uncomfortable" truths about his experience, describing his election as having been followed by a challenging period of political maneuvering akin to a "Game of Thrones" scenario.

In related news, SYRIZA state deputy Iliopoulos has resigned his parliamentary seat, citing his support for Kasselakis as the reason for his departure. Iliopoulos's resignation is seen as a strategic move to bolster Kasselakis's leadership bid.

In response to these developments, opposition party PASOK criticised Documento and its editor for allegedly launching a libelous attack against PASOK President Nikos Androulakis. PASOK condemned the newspaper for distorting the truth and claimed that recent inquiries by PASOK’s parliamentary group into the AADE inspection mechanism, following arrests at the Halkida Tax Office, were misrepresented. The party accused Documento of completely distorting the facts surrounding the case.

(Source: Amna)