Kasselakis leaves SYRIZA; new party in the works

Former SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis has announced he is leaving the party.

Kasselakis made his decision known after the party's congress made it clear it would refuse to consider his candidacy for the leadership election to be held later this month.

He added that he will be forming a new party and will make a further announcement early Saturday afternoon.

"Come back at 1 p.m. for the most independent, most groundbreaking movement that will be created in this country," Kasselakis said Friday night from his offices in the Athens suburb of Tavros.

"This is not an apostasy, but the continuation of the democratic Left in our country," he added.

Three SYRIZA lawmakers, Alexandros Avlonitis, Petros Pappas and Rallia Christidou, supporters of Kasselakis, announced they are leaving or will shortly be leaving the party to become independent MPs.