SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis on Thursday addressed the first assembly of his party's parliamentary group after the recent departure of eleven MPs, held at Parliament's Senate Hall.
Truth is on our side, and in due time we shall be vindicated," noted the main opposition party leader.
The party has lost 68% of its parliamentary force over the last 9 years, he added. It once had 149 MPs, then 145, after some time 86, before dropping to 71 and 47, he pointed out, addressing the party's current 36 parliamentarians.
In these 9 years "obviously the country does change, as does society," he said, noting that "unfortunately, the conclusion is that there was a gradual disconnection of Syriza from society." Explaining further, he observed the formation, during that time, of "a distance between Syriza's political proposal and social changes."
This is "the reality that the party is now called to change", he noted.
Despite the party's MPs now being 36, down 11 from 47, he said, "our moral parliamentary presence is, and will be, 47 MPs, because this is what the Greek people chose."
The people at large, as well as the party's voters and friends, Kasselakis pointed out, "are not going to forgive those who left for not respecting the code of conduct they co-signed to hand over their seats." He also charged them with "putting their own ambitions above society."
The party "might have shrunk," he noted, "but we are more united than ever before, with people waiting to hear our alternative proposals."
At the start of his address Kasselakis requested a one minute silence be observed in memory of internationally acclaimed writer Vassilis Vassilikos. who died on Thursday.