Greek main opposition SYRIZA withering away as members leave party

In a statement following its meeting chaired by party leader Stefanos Kasselakis, the Political Secretariat said it was not surprised by what it called 'the split', but charged all involved with not observing party processes to do so, and not justifying their action on the basis of a political disagreement.

"The obvious conclusion is that the only disagreement those deserting the party today have, is the disagreement with the will of the base (of voters), their unwillingness to accept the result of internal elections: in other words, the choice of tens of thousands of SYRIZA-PA members who democratically elected Stefanos Kasselakis as president of the party. It is a clearly undemocratic stance, which began the day after the elections," it said.

The main opposition party's body also accused the deserters of "violating the double mandate of leftist, progressive citizens, as expressed in recent parliamentary elections: the mandate to reconstruct Syriza-PA in order that it may become again the vehicle of expectations anad hopes of the great majority of the Greek people, acquire a deeper footing in society, listen carefully to citizens, and become a ruling left once again."

The Political Secretariat's statement further said that those who left actually prevented the party from exercising its obligations as a main opposition with 47 elected deputies and from serving "as a bulwark against the conservative government's antipopular and antisocial plans."

But the party will not give up or give in to those undermining it, and will address itself to its voting base that expects Syriza to bring a progressive prospect to Greece. "We are here, we are moving ahead, stronger and renewed, holding the living legacy of Alexis Tsipras," it said, referring to the previous party leader and former prime minister, "standing by the Greek people in the struggles for a fair society, a modern country and a progressive one, which we deserve."

The resignations from party membership included yesterday's walk out by 90 members of the party's minority rights section and today's resignation of 57 members of the Central Committee, including deputies and former ministers, while Eurodeputy Dimitris Papadimoulis also tendered his resignation from the party.

Syriza, which elected 47 MPs to Parliament and recently had 45, now has 36 deputies.