No fireworks in SYRIZA leadership candidates’ debate

The four candidates for the leadership of left-wing SYRIZA took part Wednesday in a debate largely devoid of drama on state TV ERT.

Sokratis Famellos, Nikolas Farantouris, Apostolos Gletsos and Pavlos Polakis presented their positions, which were mostly compatible: one notable exception was Polakis' insistence, when asked by one of his fellow candidates, on opposing the legislation granting the right to civil marriage to same-sex couples. Even then, he chose to focus on surrogacy.

The four rivals largely refrained from criticizing each other. But Polakis and Famellos had a dig at Farantouris, a recently elected MEP, for reaching for the top position too early, without much experience. Of course, having elected last year a total neophyte, Stefanos Kasselakis, who has now quit the party, this criticism was blunted. And Farantouris took a dig at the famously irascible...