Stefanos Kasselakis, previously ousted from the Syriza leadership race by the group known as “87”, now hopes to regain his influence over the delegate selection process next weekend. Between 8 and 10 November, Syriza’s extraordinary party congress will be held and 230,000 party members will elect delegates to represent them.

For Mr. Kasselakis, securing control of a majority of delegates represents his last chance to re-enter the race; otherwise, he will remain an ordinary party member unless he attempts to form a new political formation; This option is reportedly encouraged by his allies and rumored by his opponents.

According to party rules, if Mr. Kasselakis can win a majority of delegates, he can challenge the validity of the expulsion decision based on the party charter and refer the matter to the convention leadership. As Syriza’s highest decision-making body, the congress will have the power to overturn previous decisions by the Political Secretariat and Central Committee, which are considered subordinate in the party hierarchy.

The last Political Secretariat meeting, dominated by the “87”, approved four candidates for the presidency: Socrates Famellos, Pavlos Polakis, Apostolos Gletsos and Nikolas Farantouris.

The board once again dismissed Mr. Kasselakis, citing procedural grounds and his previous dismissal from leadership duties.

In its official announcement, the Syriza Political Secretariat stated: “Following the deadline for presidential candidacies and based on the decisions of the Central Committee, the following candidates have been approved for the upcoming congress: Mr. Apostolos Gletsos, Mr. Pavlos Polakis, Mr. Socrates Famellos, and Mr. Nikolas Farantouris.”

The secretariat also indirectly criticized Mr. Kasselakis, citing actions seen as hostile to the unity of the party.

“Rejecting collective decisions, legal provisions and taking legal action against the Central Committee and the Political Secretariat are politically untenable choices,” the body said, adding that “separate registrations, alternative centers and references to coups and dictatorships are an insult to the legacy of our party” and forward-looking competitive in terms of our vision.”

Allegations have also surfaced that Mr Kasselakis may be positioning himself to form a new party; The secretariat described this as “preparation for a rival formation to the Syriza Progressive Alliance”. “Syriza-PS is proceeding in an organized, democratic manner, respecting collective processes and legal provisions, and moving towards an extraordinary congress and presidential election based on the decisions of the Central Committee. The congress will also allow digital participation,” the Political Secretariat said.

Addressing the difficulties observed in recent months, the Secretariat reiterated that “events that are incompatible with our common path” have surfaced, referring to Mr. Kasselakis’ rejection of collective decisions and procedural norms. In closing, the Political Secretariat stated that “these processes will result in a stronger Syriza-PS, fully equipped to serve as a solid opposition force to defend the people against the policies of the Mitsotakis administration.”

With crucial votes set for this weekend, Syriza faces a crucial turning point as the party overcomes its internal fissures and prepares to establish a new leadership structure.