SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance must "break the cycle of introversion and go out to society," party leader Stefanos Kasselakis said on Thursday, at the first Executive Office meeting since his election, also urging party members to voice their disagreements within the party but present a unified front to society.
"The problems are here. And our opponent is the government of New Democracy and [premier] Kyriakos Mitsotakis. We must break the cycle of introversion, and go out to society. To change, in order to face Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his brutal Right. Our response cannot be given within closed corridors. We must speak with society, hear its anxieties and problems without filters. This is what I will do, starting tomorrow, by going to Thessaloniki" for the October 28 (Ohi Day) commemoration, Kasselakis said.
Syriza's leader also called for "working hard on our policy talk" and formulating comprehensive policies on the high cost of living, health, education, housing, security, and national issues. The setup of specialists committees that will operate as mini-think tanks will help, he said, as will organizing iSyriza and volunteers.
Internal dissent
Addressing internal disagreements and the expulsion of party members, he said that "it is natural that every new beginning has irregularities and some things require correction in the way we operate." He emphasized working collectively and on the basis of the founding charter, and reiterated the partty was in the process of restructuring ahead of a congress, and disagreements were natural. But some people "crossed some lines", he said, and clarified he was not speaking about holding differing opinions or exercising political criticism.
Kasselakis said that he will focus on party unity. He called on party members to stop casting doubt on Syriza and on its officers' honesty, and focus on the party's image as a leftist party. "I am appealing to everyone to show some self-restraint. To tone down the acrimony. To show collegiality and to focus on society's real issues," he underlined
Addressing the party's image in the media as deeply split, the Syriza leader said its image was a long-term issue. "I do not want to censor anyone, but at the same time we have a system that turns pluralism into a cacophony. We must deal with this, create a mechanism of expressing any disagreement within the party organs, and put forth to mass media a unified expression."