Stefanos Kasselakis, a former associate at Goldman Sachs, has been elected as the new leader of Greece's leftist Syriza party. This comes after the resignation of former leader Alexis Tsipras in June, following a decline in support for the party during two general elections earlier this year.
In the run-off election, Kasselakis secured 56.7% of the votes, with former Labor Minister Effie Achtsioglou as his opponent. This victory means that Kasselakis will now lead the opposition, even though he has not served in parliament before.
Tsipras, who was the former prime minister, came to power in 2015. During the early months of his administration, Greece faced the possibility of exiting the eurozone. Eventually, Tsipras agreed to new bailout terms that imposed further austerity measures, leading to a loss of popularity at home. Tsipras remained in power until 2019, when Kyriakos Mitsotakis became the current premier, and Syriza became the country's main opposition party.
Kasselakis's announcement in August that he would seek the party leadership came as a surprise, as three of the other four candidates were former cabinet ministers in the Tsipras administration. Kasselakis has never held public office and previously failed to secure a place in parliament after being nominated as a state lawmaker by Tsipras. However, despite his lack of political experience, Kasselakis believes that his life experience will help him take the party on a new path.
At 35 years old, Kasselakis is also notable for being the first openly-gay person to lead a Greek political party. During his campaign, he emphasized that he does not have a specific "gay agenda" but rather a focus on social equality and separation of church and state. He also advocates for the abolition of compulsory military service.
Kasselakis has a diverse background, having been born in the affluent northern Athens suburb of Maroussi and later studying in the United States. He attended the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts on a full scholarship and then went on to study at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned degrees in finance and international studies.
While still a student, Kasselakis volunteered on the staff of then-Senator Joe Biden during the 2008 presidential campaign. However, his experience in the finance industry, particularly at Goldman Sachs, left him disillusioned with the power and arrogance associated with money. Subsequently, he began investing in the shipping industry after securing a loan with a personal guarantee.
As Kasselakis takes the reins of Syriza, he aims to steer the party towards a new direction, focusing on his vision of social equality and advocating for the rights and well-being of all citizens.