Former Greek Defense Minister Quits Syriza, Deepening Party Crisis

07:20 29/11/2024 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

Former chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces Evangelos Apostolakis has announced his resignation from Syriza, marking another significant blow to the embattled leftist party.

The retired admiral stated that he would remain in Parliament

as an independent, adding to the growing list of deputies leaving Syriza in recent weeks.

Mr. Apostolakis, who was elected on Syriza’s state deputies list in the July 2024 general election, is the first MP elected in this manner to quit the party while retaining his parliamentary seat.

Known for his ties to ousted Syriza president Stefanos Kasselakis, Mr. Apostolakis made no mention of plans to join Mr. Kasselakis’ newly formed political party, which was unveiled in a high-profile event last weekend.

The former defense minister’s departure leaves Syriza with 27 deputies in Greece’s 300-seat legislature and raises the count of independent MPs to 23.

Syriza’s approval ratings have been plummeting since its internal strife erupted, most notably following Mr. Kasselakis’ ousting.

Mr. Apostolakis, a rare military figure within Syriza, served as defense minister in the party’s coalition government prior to 2019.

His decision prompted a scathing response from Syriza, which accused him of a “shameful defection” and implied that his departure was premeditated.

Earlier, another Syriza MP, Yannis Sarakiotis, also resigned from the party, exacerbating its ongoing leadership and identity crisis. These developments come as Syriza struggles to maintain its relevance amid significant internal divisions and declining public support.

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