SYRIZA is heading for yet another split and potentially losing its position as the official opposition.

The Central Committee of SYRIZA decided late on Saturday that the former political leader, Stefanos Kasselakis, who recently left the leadership of the party, will not be able to submit his candidacy in the next internal party elections.

The overwhelming majority of votes against Kasselakis came in a meeting full of tensions, verbal attacks, boos and boycott attempts.

The socialist PASOK party is also in the process of electing a new leader, in a moment that could be a reckoning for the future of the country’s center-left.

The left-wing SYRIZA, which ruled Greece from in 2015 to 2019has been facing an existential crisis since it was crushed in last year’s election by conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. That defeat triggered the resignation of SYRIZA’s charismatic leader, Alexis Tsipras, as reported by Politico.

In September 2023, American expatriate and former Goldman Sachs employee Stefanos Kaselakis was elected out of nowhere to head SYRIZA, since the party has been mired in toxic infighting. Last November, dozens of members left SYRIZA and created the New Left party.

The rift has flared since the party’s poor performance in June’s European elections and has seen legal threats, verbal attacks and even the police being called in to provide security at the party’s headquarters. Kasselakis has taken an aggressive stance against the majority of party members and especially against Tsipras’ predecessor.

Last month, Kasselakis was ousted from the leadership of the party through a motion of no confidence, amid accusations of authoritarian behavior and non-ideological alignment with the party.

He was later disqualified from running for the SYRIZA leadership after sending an extrajudicial letter to the party last week, demanding an investigation into how parts of the poten esches had been leaked to the press.

After Saturday’s vote, Kasselakis said he would face his critics next month at an extraordinary party congress on November 8-10 to make a final decision on SYRIZA’s leadership candidates. The first round of the competition will take place on November 24, with a second round set for December 1 if necessary.

PASOK in second place

In the contest of the PASOK party, the current leader Nikos Androulakis comes face to face with the mayor of Athens Haris Doukas. Androulakis currently holds a significant lead, eight points ahead of Doukas.

Whoever wins the leadership race will aim to capitalize on the collapse of SYRIZA and capitalize on the attention generated by the election.

PASOK has already consolidated second place in the polls, while the looming split within SYRIZA means it could become the main opposition in parliament as well if SYRIZA has lost at least five MPs.

In the contest of the PASOK party, the current leader Nikos Androulakis comes face to face with the mayor of Athens Haris Doukas. Androulakis currently holds a significant lead, eight points ahead of Doukas.

Whoever wins the leadership race will aim to capitalize on the collapse of SYRIZA and capitalize on the attention generated by the election.

PASOK has already consolidated second place in the polls, while the looming split within SYRIZA means it could become the main opposition in parliament as well if Syriza loses at least five MPs.