Stefanos Kasselakis, the newly elected leader of Greece’s left-wing main opposition party, SYRIZA, recently announced his intention to temporarily step away from politics to fulfill his obligatory military service. Kasselakis, 35, who had lived in the United States since age 14 and was previously exempt from military service, expressed his readiness to undertake this civic duty.
In an interview with Star television, Kasselakis stated, “It will be an honor to do military service. I’m very happy. I’ll go soon, once the party bodies convene and things are set in order.” This decision comes shortly after his unexpected victory in the party’s leadership election.
SYRIZA’s new leader is not only a newcomer to politics but is also openly gay, representing a significant shift within the party. His election followed the resignation of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras due to SYRIZA’s substantial loss in the parliamentary elections held in June.
Kasselakis’s swift ascent to SYRIZA’s leadership has raised concerns among some traditionalists within the party, who view him as an outsider. Notably, he is not a member of parliament, which further complicates his role as the leader of Greece’s largest opposition party.
Greece maintains a conscription-based military system, with most individuals serving for 12 months. Kasselakis, however, has the option to serve for three weeks and buy out the remaining portion of his service time. The timing of his military service remains uncertain, but Greek law allows him flexibility until the beginning of 2024.
Kasselakis expressed a preference for serving in a unit located near Greece’s land border with Turkey, a historical regional rival, or on one of the eastern Aegean Sea islands.
