By Antonis Anzoletou

The Permanent Congress will start today early in the afternoon and everything in Koumoundourou has been set in motion. The process will be formal, but also substantial at the same time. At the beginning, the two secretaries Rania Svigou and Giorgos Vassiliadis will speak, and then the candidates for the presidency will be placed in alphabetical order.

First n Efi Ahtsioglou then the Stefanos Kasselakis and will follow the Nikos Pappas, Stefanos Tzoumakas and Euclid Tsakalotos.

Will there be any surprises? So is there still some “hidden” candidacy? No one in Koumoundourou has any indication of such a thing. In the last few days, the electoral process took “fire” from the candidacy of Stefanos Kasselakis who “stirred up the waters”. The balance changed and the “counter” went to zero after the 35-year-old businessman has “gelled” on social media.

There is one more important element that will make today’s convocation of the top body special. The candidates will find themselves in the same space in an informal debate, as the possibility of a televised battle on public television recedes as time goes on. According to information, associates of Nikos Pappas made a round of phone calls during the week he spent at the offices of the other candidates for the telefight. Stefanos Tzoumakas and Stefanos Kasselakis reportedly said “yes”.

Efi Ahtsioglou remains positive, insisting that everyone should participate. Euclides Tsakalotos is still negative when talking about the terms of a television show.

Today the potential successors of Alexis Tsipras will develop their positions for the party, their organizational plan, as well as their government program. The “applause” they will get from the delegates will be the first “poll” in the last turn before the polls open.

As far as he is concerned Alexis Tsipras since he did not speak to any of his associates it was considered very reasonable that he would not be present at this particular proceeding. He is from the first moment the guarantor of unity, without distinguishing any of the candidates.

He does not want to influence the process, but also to turn all the lights on him. In this consistent line of protection of SYRIZA and its processes, he is determined to stay until the last moment, emphasized Koumoundourou.