SYRIZA: Political Secretariat Considers Requiring Asset Declarations for Presidential Candidates

With the ousted President of SYRIZA Progressive Alliance, Stefanos Kasselakis, currently in Italy, as revealed today by protothema.gr, top party officials are meeting this afternoon with a “toolbox” of criteria to finalize the roadmap, the characteristics of the upcoming Congress, and primarily the terms for participating in the race for new leadership.

The focus is reportedly on establishing criteria for candidates seeking the presidency, as most top officials agree on the need for strict conditions for selecting the new leadership. According to sources, these criteria are divided into two categories: party criteria and transparency criteria.

Regarding party criteria, it is being considered that candidates must secure:

• 50 signatures from Central Committee members (up from 30) and
• Additional signatures from party members and officials.

For transparency, the proposed requirements include:

• Submitting an asset declaration to the party (since these are submitted to state authorities, i.e., Parliament). It is known that Mr. Kasselakis has submitted an asset declaration, but it has not been made public. The only information released is an Excel sheet with some details about his financial status, which Stefanos Kasselakis presented at the SYRIZA pre-election rally in Thessaloniki.

Stefanos Kasselakis at the SYRIZA Pre-Election Rally in Thessaloniki and the one-page Excel sheet presented about his financial status

Additionally, the following are being considered:

• The requirement for a clean criminal record, and
• Investigation of any debts to public authorities.

A new cycle of internal strife is not ruled out

Although the criteria have not been finalized, as many opinions have been voiced by members of the new majority, some of these are reportedly gaining more support. This is because none of the leading figures want the party to face surprises, which could trigger a new cycle of internal strife and negative publicity.

“Our self-protective reflexes will come into play,” noted Vice President of the Parliament Olga Gerovasili in an interview with Newsbomb, adding that “some don’t need to leave.” She emphasized that “a motion of censure does not mean that there will be a unified expression” in the candidacies of the new leader.

“Those who wish to play a role as candidates will unfold political plans based on the values of the Left, agreed principles and positions from the previous Congress, positions we support in the Greek Parliament, and proposals on how the political system should be restructured so that society perceives that there is an alternative governance for the country,” she described. These specifications “are not met by Stefanos Kasselakis,” concluded Ms. Gerovasili, while SYRIZA MP for Evia, Symeon Kedikoglou, also addressed the issue of the criteria.

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