In a decisive move reflecting weeks of internal tension, the left-wing faction known as “Umbrella” within the main opposition SYRIZA party has formally announced its departure. Led by former Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, the faction cited ideological differences with newly-elected SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis as the primary reason for the split.
The rift deepened as “Umbrella” accused Kasselakis of steering SYRIZA away from its leftist roots, opting instead for a vague form of social media-driven “post-politics.” Kasselakis’s emphasis on a charismatic leader connecting directly with the people, circumventing traditional party structures, became a point of contention.
The break became inevitable when Kasselakis sought the expulsion of three “Umbrella” members, including former ministers Panos Skourletis and Dimitris Vitsas, both of whom had also served as party secretaries. Former Education Minister Nikos Filis compared Kasselakis to the Italian comedian and politician Beppe Grillo and former US President Donald Trump, further fueling the internal discord.
Facing potential rejection from the party’s Disciplinary Commission and Central Committee, Kasselakis proposed seeking approval for the expulsion directly from the party base, a move criticized even by some of his supporters within SYRIZA. The ensuing Central Committee meeting on Saturday turned tumultuous.
In their statement released on Sunday, confirming their departure from SYRIZA, “Umbrella” accused Kasselakis and his supporters of adopting “Trumpian practices,” right-leaning populism, fanaticism, and a disdain for the left’s historical trajectory.
The statement declared, “We feel our historic responsibility. We insist on being on the left, and our vision is socialism with liberty and democracy.” The departing faction, represented by 45 signatures, including Tsakalotos, Vitsas, Skourletis, and Filis, expressed their commitment to maintaining a leftist stance.
The next steps for “Umbrella” could involve the formation of a new political party, with the success of such an endeavor dependent on the extent of support they garner from within the SYRIZA base. Meanwhile, another SYRIZA official targeted for expulsion by Kasselakis, Stefanos Tzoumakas, pre-emptively announced his departure from the party earlier on Sunday.
