In the stormy eye of the Kasselistas stands Nikos Papas, head of the SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance Parliamentary Group. The vote of no confidence against Stefanos Kasselakis has turned the once-powerful minister of the Tsipras government into the target of a political tempest, fueled by angry online and offline supporters of the now-fallen leader.
Papas, cast in shadow by accusations ranging from “betrayer” to “the Machiavelli of Koumoundourou,” has become a symbolic figure of defeat. Kasselakis’ supporters accuse him of orchestrating the downfall and failing to back their leader in the critical Central Committee vote.
Though cast aside by his former allies, Papas was no stranger to the approaching political iceberg. He had long since warned of the danger that Kasselakis faced, predicting the cracks in their alliance and the inevitable political collision that would follow. Despite the public disbelief, his cautionary words became a haunting echo as the vote neared.
Days before the fateful vote, Papas cryptically commented that if Kasselakis hadn’t already fallen, “he’d still be at the Thessaloniki International Fair as leader.” This remark, initially dismissed by SYRIZA’s opposition, now rings prophetic—an ominous whisper about the tides within the party.
Papas, a figure deeply rooted in the radical Left, once served as Alexis Tsipras’ right hand, rising through the ranks from Glasgow to party leadership. His sense of internal shifts within the Kasselakis camp has proven sharp, signaling the storm before others could foresee it.
In private, Papas is said to have warned Kasselakis that the vote would be tight, a political lifeline rejected by the embattled leader. Publicly, Papas shared his misgivings on a national broadcast, just hours after being appointed head of the Parliamentary Group, while Kasselakis’ supporters celebrated his ascent to the party’s No. 2 position.
Yet, in SYRIZA’s inner circle, those close to Papas knew he had long-standing relationships with most of the Central Committee members. Their ideological limits were familiar to him, particularly as it pertained to those tasked with supporting Kasselakis in the motion of no confidence. Despite the pressure, even Papas’ team—mostly from the Movement of Members loyal to Tsipras—struggled to remain composed as Kasselakis addressed the Committee.
The explosive rhetoric, from secret funds to scathing attacks against the bureaucracy, escalated tensions. Sources claim the vote collapsed from internal dissent, with the Kasselakis line failing to hold in the face of the Central Committee’s resistance, orchestrated carefully by Papas and the “87” loyalists to Tsipras.
When Kasselakis launched his full-scale assault on the party’s bureaucracy, condemning Tsipras, Pavlos Polakis, and others, he sparked the countdown to his downfall. His fiery speech just before the vote drove the final wedge into the Committee’s delicate balance, paving the way for the coup that would soon follow.
Behind the scenes, even Kasselakis’ allies began to inform Papas they would back the motion, unable to stomach Kasselakis’ harsh words about shadowy dealings. The scales tipped, far beyond what Kasselakis’ team had anticipated.
In the end, not even the Kasselistas could comprehend the low preparedness of their leader’s camp, especially when roughly 100 members of the Central Committee had been replaced by alternates friendly to the new Koumoundourou leadership.
Papas’ perceived betrayal continues to stir anger, but within the shifting sands of SYRIZA politics, no one is safe from the fallout of the coming storm.