After the 2023 election, many analysts projected that SYRIZA, Greece's leading left-wing opposition party, would be replaced by PASOK-KINAL as the country's main opposition party to incumbent New Democracy. Political analysts expected that PASOK would overtake SYRIZA in the next election after obtaining a dismal 18% in the election with the margin between SYRIZA and PASOK narrowing to roughly 7%. This belief was strengthened with the resignation of historic Party Leader Alexis Tsipras.
The party had elections for new leaders in recent weeks, and one emerging star was given the spotlight. Stefanos Kasselakis, a 35-year-old entrepreneur, has surprisingly been elected leader of Greece's new left-wing populist party after winning the first round with 44.9% and the second round with 56.6% he solidified his victory over his main opponent Effie Achtsioglou.
Kasselakis after winning the SYRIZA Leadership Election
Who is Stefanos Kasselakis? He was born in 1988 and was raised in the upper middle class household in north Athens. His family lost their money as a result of the financial crisis, and he was moved to the United States to attend boarding school for his final year of high school. Later, he attended the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, notably Wharton, and the even more prestigious Huntsman Program, which is specialized in international business and politics. He eventually worked for Goldman Sachs before starting his own shipping company.
Kasselaki's response to the obvious controversy of his previous jobs is that his grasp of capitalism as a result of his previous experience is his greater competence is the reason he joined the left-wing socialist movement. He claims to have experienced firsthand how firms exploit lower-class labor.
Threat to Incumbent Kyriakos Mitsotakis Kyriakos Mitsotakis won a landslide victory in June 2023 and is regarded as one of the most influential leaders of Greece's conservative New Democracy Party. Mitsotakis, a Harvard graduate, speaks flawless English and played the sophistication card in the election against Alexis Tsipras, whose signature outfits lacked a tie and who spoke bad English. For many voters, this made Alexis Tsipras appear less professional and less serious. Kasselakis, on the other hand, speaks fluent English and is well-educated. This clashes with Mitsotakis' refined appearance, which many SYRIZA voters thought was arrogant. This is also why so many SYRIZA members supported Kasselakis, believing that he can outperform Mitsotakis in his own game.