Ministry of National Economy and Finance

The first contender for the SYRIZA leadership election is expected to throw her hat into the ring on Wednesday, sources have said.

Associates said that Efi Achtsioglou, who served as minister for Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity from 2016 to 2019, would declare her candidacy at noon at the Athens Conservatoire.

The main opposition left-wing SYRIZA party is on a quest for a new leader who will be able to beat Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, its officials say.

The new Finance Minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, and the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras, had a first meeting Tuesday to discuss policy, focusing on fiscal policy, banks and private debt.

The two officials met for about 90 minutes and then told reporters they had a "shared understanding" about the state of the economy, as well as a shred optimism about its prospects.