Eight SYRIZA Members Walk Out Over Media Funding Dispute and Vacant Parliament Seat

Tensions erupted within SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance on Thursday as eight members of the party’s Political Secretariat walked out of a crucial meeting, protesting party leader Stefanos Kasselakis’ proposal regarding the financial viability of SYRIZA-affiliated media outlets, ‘Avghi’ newspaper and ‘Sto Kokkino’ radio station.

The dissenting members, including notable figures such as Olga Gerovassili, Alekos Flabouraris, and Yiannis Ragoussis, expressed their discontent with Kasselakis‘ suggestion that the party should secure funding for the media outlets, potentially through borrowing, to pay overdue wages and cover voluntary resignation costs. They criticised Kasselakis for failing to present a sustainable solution for the media outlets and accused him of continuing to obscure the party’s financial situation, despite increased revenues over the past year.

The walkout also stemmed from dissatisfaction over an off-agenda discussion about the potential replacement of resigned deputy Othon Iliopoulos with Kasselakis himself, should others on the waiting list decline the parliamentary seat. The eight members argued that these actions publicly humiliate both the individuals involved and the party as a whole.

Adding to the discord, Pavlos Polakis, a member of the Political Secretariat who was expelled from the parliamentary group, called for a change in leadership, stating that the current leadership is unable to provide a political solution.

Despite the turmoil, unnamed sources from SYRIZA’s headquarters confirmed that Kasselakis does not intend to resign.