Kasselakis to the Economist : “I aspire to be the next prime minister”

SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis addressed the 27th Annual Economist Government Roundtable in Athens on Thursday, acknowledging that 2023 was an electoral year in which his party lost two national elections. He expressed the hope of leading a progressive coalition government and referred to the electoral results as a “resounding victory for Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis,” particularly significant coming just two months after a tragic train collision that killed 57 people, mainly university students returning after a long weekend. Kasselakis extensively discussed the impact of former party leader and former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, noting that Tsipras was why many members, including himself, joined Syriza. He credited Tsipras with opening the party to the progressive “centre,” steering the country through three severe austerity packages while preserving the social safety net and safeguarding national security interests. Additionally, Tsipras was crucial in resolving a longstanding European issue between Greece and North Macedonia.

The SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader recounted his personal journey, announcing his candidacy to succeed Tsipras just two months after Tsipras’s departure. He emphasized that he was not a traditional party member, hailing from a background in employment at Goldman Sachs and a former businessman and shipping executive. Despite these differences, he secured victory with significant support from working-class neighbourhoods and rural areas.

Kasselakis underscored his commitment to all Greeks, both domestically and internationally, focusing on the people struggling to pay their electricity bills, desiring their children’s return to Greece, and facing challenges such as the recent floods with limited state support. He expressed his aspiration to be the next prime minister of Greece, driven by faith in the people who embraced and supported him.