Greece's main left-wing opposition party, Syriza, faced a significant setback as nine lawmakers, including former Syriza labor minister Effie Achtsioglou, resigned in protest against the party's newly elected leader, Stefanos Kasselakis.
In September, Miami-based businessman Kasselakis, 35, won the leadership in a surprising upset, as per ABC News.
Greece Political Exodus
However, his administration failed to reverse Syriza's declining popularity, which plummeted after a crushing defeat in the June general election, leaving the party behind Socialist opponents.
The recent walkout and previous resignations reduced Syriza's representation in the 300-member parliament from 47 to 36 seats.
Under the charismatic former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, Syriza rose to prominence during Greece's significant financial crisis in the previous decade. Tsipras transformed the party from a small organization to a governing force during a period that brought Greece to the brink of bankruptcy.
However, Tsipras fell out of favor with voters as the country emerged from recession, resigning after facing his third successive general election defeat.
Stefanos Kasselakis, the new leader, faced criticism for being intolerant of dissent and struggling to achieve policy consensus in the historically fractured party. Critics have raised concerns about his leadership style.
The recent resignations in Athens mirrored a similar trend at the European Parliament, where Syriza lost several lawmakers, including Dimitris Papadimoulis, a vice president of the assembly.
Syriza's statement accused the dissenters of ignoring invitations to join Kasselakis in reforming the party. The statement suggested that their actions "will be judged by history," according to Reuters.
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Syriza's Deepening Crisis
Syriza's turmoil intensified as eleven lawmakers, including former finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos, have now resigned. Recent opinion polls indicate Syriza trailing in third place, behind the Socialist PASOK party.
The lawmakers who quit Syriza have the numbers to form a separate parliamentary group and potentially launch a new party ahead of the European Parliament elections next year.
Kasselakis, a former Goldman Sachs associate with minimal political experience, replaced Alexis Tsipras in June. Some Syriza supporters expressed dissatisfaction with Kasselakis' election, questioning his alignment with traditional leftist principles.
Kasselakis defended his leftist credentials, stating that his experience within capitalism had turned him into a leftist.
Syriza, a 20-year-old party, has experienced splits, particularly after agreeing to Greece's third bailout. Political analysts cast doubt on Syriza's future, with a head of ALCO pollsters, Costas Panagopoulos, stating that success under the current circumstances is uncertain.
The party faces a critical juncture as it grapples with leadership upheaval and the potential formation of new political factions, Fox News reported.
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