Prominent SYRIZA member Nikos Karanikas has publicly opposed his party's decision to nominate lawmaker Elena Akrita for the position of vice president of the Hellenic Parliament in Athens.
Karanikas described Akrita as a party influencer who is unfit to serve on the parliamentary presidium, adding that it is logical for the governing New Democracy party to reject her candidacy.
Writing in a social media post, Karanikas argued that anyone who has declared a lack of respect for the President of the Hellenic Republic should not be placed in the parliamentary leadership. He recalled that Akrita had publicly stated a few weeks ago that she did not respect the head of state, emphasizing that such statements are unacceptable for an aspiring vice president regardless of one's view on the presidency.
He called on those who support representative democracy and public institutions to evaluate the nomination politically and institutionally. Karanikas stated that Akrita is known nationwide for social media posts marked by hostility, toxicity, hatred, and misogyny, arguing that her aggressive posture toward the government and its officials reflects her influencer style.
Opposition unity criticized
Karanikas also directed criticism at the broader opposition for uniting to attack Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the government over the issue. He said the government had simply stated what was politically obvious regarding a public institution, while the opposition seized the moment to mount a political assault.
He expressed regret that opposition parties had failed to display similar unity when tackling major public concerns such as rising living costs, energy policy, education, and the oversight of independent authorities. He concluded that the episode confirmed the opposition in Greece is unreliable and lacks effective substance in its choices.
SYRIZA, formally known as the Coalition of the Radical Left, is Greece's primary left-wing opposition party. The Hellenic Parliament elects several vice presidents to oversee legislative business alongside the speaker, with nominees proposed by the political parties represented in the chamber. Akrita, a prominent journalist and author, was elected as a parliamentarian for SYRIZA, while Karanikas previously served as a strategic adviser during the administration of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
