Kyriakos Mitsotakis

As of today Tuesday, the candidates for the presidency of SYRIZA increased to five. Nikolas Faradouris’ decision to claim the leadership of the faction did not fall from the sky. The Kefalonian MEP had premeditated his intentions and simply let time work for him, as it allowed him to measure reactions and reach conclusions.

For the professor of international law, the result of the ballot box is of minor importance, as he typically mentioned to people in his environment. Whether he is elected or receives 2%, he will continue the mission assigned to him unscathed without second thoughts. He himself will be there and then.

He cares about the stakes of the whole process. SYRIZA should be rechristened, come out strengthened and reposition itself politically, because “this is what our base demands, this is what society demands”.

Faradouris set the tone

Perhaps it is not coincidental that Nick. Faradouri chose October 1 to communicate his intention to participate “with a sense of responsibility and faith in values” in this battle. The second month of autumn is traditionally the month of sowing, the one that waters the soil and allows the first roots to emerge.

The Kefalonian politician spoke of “respect and love for all my fellow candidates”. Nor does he intend to subsequently raise his voice, exceeding the limits of internal party culture. It would be against what he stands for as a man, but also against the decision of the Central Committee to avoid offensive or toxic reports against other officials – let alone presidential candidates.

Mitsotakis is the main target of all the candidates

In general, at this early stage of the campaign of those who claim the leadership of SYRIZA, the core is common and united. This is the New Democracy government personified by its head, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The intention of each to appear as the rival awe of the Greek prime minister is evident, producing opposition and convincing that he has the special weight to lead the effort to overthrow him. Why not defeat him already with or without alliances.

Pavlos Polakis started a few days ago in Chania, talking about the self-interested tactics of the ND. Stefanos Kasselakis followed with his statements about the great fire in Corinth, accusing the government of sidelining civil protection. At the same time, he unfolded his proposals.

Sokratis Famellos took over on Tuesday from Zografou. During his presence at a municipality event on the occasion of the International Day of the Third Age, and after first becoming the recipient of the dissatisfaction that prevails towards the government regarding health and pensions, he referred to the need for “a strong social state” which – according to same- has been discredited by the ND.

Nomination and interview by Kasselakis

In Koumoundourou, they are struggling to keep their voices down, because the full seven weeks between the first round of the presidential elections are enough, and an image of total disunity would only be harmful. All this painstaking effort was also reflected in the KO meeting.

Accordingly will be the style of the candidates in all their subsequent public appearances – on television or on the street. At least until the occasion is given for something different that will reactivate the “civil” climate of the previous days.

The fact that Stefanos Kasselakis has – before formalizing his candidacy – scheduled a televised interview with Nikos Hatzinikolaou, at midnight on Thursday, has not gone unnoticed. It is natural to be commented on by various circles, positive or negative. Certainly, by then he will have addressed his message to the voters of SYRIZA, updating through social media the repeated “I am here”.

Both in one case (announcement of candidacy) and in the other case (Enopios Enopio) the interest in the content of what he will say is very lively. Every word the ousted president will use has its meaning, although – after advice and admonitions from associates – he seems to have adopted a profile more compatible with the instruments of SYRIZA.

The Central Committee is coming

Of course, the fact that the new meeting of the Central Committee of SYRIZA is coming up on Saturday (5/10) raises the temperature out of nowhere. Although this is a meeting concerning the pre-conference dialogues, it is quite possible that the version of the reinstatement of the proposal (Hatzisocratis) to separate the elections for the presidency from those for the new KE is quite possible. In this version, the objections to violation of the statute will be very strong from the Kasselakis bloc – just like last time, which was eventually withdrawn.

However, the majority in the upper body belongs to the enlarged bloc of 87, so this determines the outcome in the event of a vote.