Greek left-wing party official sparks backlash over luxury taxation
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
A senior official from ELAS, the newly formed left-wing party led by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, has ignited fierce political debate after proposing a heavy tax targeting swimming pools, yachts and residents of ultra-luxury apartments and hotels in Athens.
Marizeta Antonopoulou, an organizational official with the party, advocated for the levy during a televised appearance on SKAI.
Pressed to define what qualifies as excessive wealth, Mrs. Antonopoulou specifically named swimming pools, high-speed yachts and people living in ultra-luxury apartments or newly built hotels in the capital.
The remarks followed separate comments from fellow party official Haris Athanasiadis on Mega TV, who argued that additional taxes on high-end assets — including pleasure craft and vehicles with engines exceeding 3,000cc — could generate approximately 600 million euros annually for state coffers.
Mrs. Antonopoulou also reaffirmed the party's broader platform to triple the corporate dividend tax rate from 5 percent to 15 percent, though she said the increase would be phased in gradually rather than imposed all at once, in an effort to limit market disruption.
The proposals reflect Mr. Tsipras's effort to position his new political vehicle clearly to the left of both the governing New Democracy party and the more centrist PASOK, as Greece's fragmented opposition landscape continues to reshape itself ahead of the spring 2027 general election.
The plan has drawn criticism from government officials and business representatives, who argue it risks discouraging investment and tourism-linked development in the capital.
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