SYRIZA: “Membership card” for €20 for member elections – Reactions to the possible lifting of Kasselakis’ exclusion

SYRIZA‘s internal strife returned yesterday with a new episode, as Koumoundourou seeks to gather momentum and funds in view of the upcoming internal party contest.

Specifically, a circular sent from the central office, namely the Central Organizing Committee of the Congress (COEC), to the local Prefectural organizations outlines the “issuance of a party membership card, with an annual subscription fee of €20 or a semi-annual fee of €10” as a step toward “completing the Registry, promoting the digitization of the party, and providing tangible financial support, while also resolving the issue of financially active members for participation in our electoral processes,” as stated in the circular.

Additionally, the circular mentions a “campaign to acquire a SYRIZA-PS membership card,” while holders of the Membership Card will be able to participate in the delegate elections without paying the €2 fee.

One-Day Elections

Primarily, however, the circular clarifies that “the elections in the Local Organizations (LOs) for the selection of delegates will take place on November 2 or 3, 2024, meaning that only one day is set,” and that voting rights (both to vote and to run for office) are granted to members of SYRIZA-PS and those who have registered in the LOs or isyriza by Friday, October 25, 2024.

In practice, Koumoundourou is already preparing for the upcoming congress, as indicated in the circular, rekindling its relationship with the traditional base through the Membership Card. For some party officials, the “Membership Card” represents a first step in assessing the party’s social dynamics, at a time when it is recording steady single-digit, and now dramatically low, support, reaching just 6.5% according to an ALCO poll.

Window for Kasselakis’ Return

Amid this decline, a possible reversal of the exclusion of Stefanos Kasselakis from the leadership race in SYRIZA has been hinted at, with a comment by well-known columnist and close confidant of Alexis Tsipras, Thanasis Karteros. Karteros remarked, “That exclusion, which is both legal and ethical, but it’s debatable whether it contributes to the calm atmosphere we need today—aren’t they reconsidering it?” This sparked strong reactions among the “87,” or the “Tsipras guard,” whose members have responded, “We’ll do whatever it takes” to ensure that the former party president cannot participate in the internal race.

However, the internal party conflict continues to simmer, with officials of the majority accusing Stefanos Kasselakis of attempting to liquidate SYRIZA. Specifically, Giorgos Tsipras characterized Kasselakis’ renting of offices as “preparation for another party,” adding that the former SYRIZA president “is trying to cause as much damage as he can to the party and take whatever he can when he leaves.” According to Tsipras on ERT, “Kasselakis wanted from the start to create his own party, where he would be the leader. Obviously, it’s preferable to find something ready, rather than setting up something from scratch, which he wouldn’t be able to do anyway—a party shell, with a brand name, with party funding, with the buildings, with everything else. He found it in SYRIZA, except he wants to get rid of everyone else.”

On the Path to a Referendum

At the same time, Stefanos Kasselakis appears convinced that the “87” will postpone the party congress, which is scheduled for November 8. In such a case, he is preparing to request an internal party referendum.

Continuing his tours around Greece, Kasselakis is preparing to gather the necessary signatures if needed, with the aim of reversing the motion of no-confidence against him, so that he can again run for the party leadership in the internal elections. With his team organizing his new offices, the former SYRIZA president will meet tomorrow with volunteers who expressed interest at odikosmassyriza.gr in Tavros, at Kydoonion 2-4, where his new headquarters are located.

During the meeting, Kasselakis will have the opportunity to meet the volunteers and answer their questions, as he has done with party members at Koumoundourou’s offices, opening the doors to the new workspace he has subleased for the needs of SYRIZA’s internal elections.

At the same time, the camp of SYRIZA presidential candidate Sokratis Famellos is focusing on new members, accusing Kasselakis of “victimizing himself to promote his own rise, while the victim is SYRIZA.” Famellos stated, “We asked for a return to the base with the participation of all candidates, without accusations. To turn the page without accusations, without exclusions, so that there’s no dark chapter in SYRIZA-PS. Why? Because he made tragic political mistakes.” He added, “Let’s not rewrite history, as the previous president’s camp is trying to make us forget what happened. Due to tragically wrong decisions, SYRIZA shrank and became devalued… Black funds? Corruption in the party? That’s unimaginable. These were major mistakes that still leave a mark.”

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