Democratic Left Experiences Party Challenges

Early in the morning DIMAR deputy Katerina Markou (Thessaloniki second district) announced her independence from the party after meeting with party leader Fotis Kouvelis. Afterward, Ms Markou let barbs fly against party leadership.

A little later, Mr Kouvelis announced his decision to strike off deputy Grigoris Psarianos from the party parliamentary group to House president Evangelos Meimarakis, for his decision not to sign the call for a debate on a referendum.

His strike off was seen negatively by deputy Spyros Lykoudis who noted it was Mr Psarianos' right not to sign the call. Psarianos was also very scathing in his response calling the decision a coup, and calling Mr Kouvelis “Julius Ceaser.”

At the same time, former party press spokesperson Andreas Papapdopoulos, announced his resignation from the party's central committee, because of the striking off of Mr Psarianos.

The party parliamentary group is currently in session to decide on how to deal with pending issues, especially the call for the referendum that has splintered the party.