Kasselakis: SYRIZA’s goal is to bring an upset and be top party in Europarliament elections

The goal of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance is to bring a radical upset in Greek European Parliament elections and come in first, leader Stefanos Kasselakis said in an interview on Monday.

Speaking to Alpha TV, Kasselakis said that his first goal, ahead of Europarliament elections, is to stand up to the extreme right at European Union level, and at domestic level to include candidates willing to work rather than celebrities.

The main opposition leader said that “right now, SYRIZA is a more compact party than it was in the past. We have a plan, and I am fully convinced that our plan will work and we will get to Europarliament elections for the absolute overturn. This is expressed with SYRIZA’s victory. It is a national need to see the plan for an open meritocratic party.”

Asked how he planned to find Europarliament candidates, Kasselakis said that think tanks will find candidates, based on meritocracy and drawing from the party’s base. He noted that two experienced MEPs, Kostas Arvanitis and Elena Kountoura, would contribute their experience to finding them. “Interested candidates will apply to the party and then go through the approval of party members,” he said as an alternative. The candidacies would progress through the party organs and the party base, both of which he would respect, he added.

Kasselakis said he will “keep in touch and talk with Alexis Tsipras,” the former party leader and prime minister, and said the upcoming visit (December 7) of the Turkish president was welcome, as long as national issues were delineated clearly. Commenting on the upgrade of the Greek economy by rating agencies, he said that it happened at the expense of Greek citizens. “Overall, it is a path of upgading that belongs to all the Greek people. On our side, we are focused on peole with the lowest incomes.”

Among other issues, Kasselakis said that “the main opposition must be voting for whatever benefits the Greek people”, and expressed support for voting by mail. Relating to the new tax measures, he acknowledged that tax evasion was an issue, but said SYRIZA’s proposal was “a simple, very clear, stable taxation framework that will last a decade, not just a system that will change every few months.”

Speaking to Alpha TV, the main opposition leader acknowledged there were people who left the party but also people who joined it. Despite the breakoff by deputies elected under SYRIZA and low poll results, he asserted that there is a plan for reconstruction, “and people will really see this.”

“Greece needs a party that will be independent and not owe to banks. We are committed to the future, and you will see this in action,” he added, while noting that “the party’s finances are better than those of New Democracy and PASOK.”

The main opposition leader added that he had tried to express unity from the start, and asserted that “the hopes and anxieties of progressive people will be expressed by SYRIZA.”