Spartiates party leader faces mutiny
The Spartiates (Spartans) party leader Vassilis Stigas is facing mutiny as nine out of twelve lawmakers from the far-right party issued a statement condemning his response to a party MP’s public support for Ilias Kasidiaris’ bid to run for the position of mayor of Athens.
Analysts consider this incident as confirmation that Kasidiaris, the former Golden Dawn deputy leader currently serving a 13-year and six-month prison sentence for being part of a criminal organization, is widely perceived as the true leader of the recently-formed party.
“I find Ilias Kasidiaris’ candidacy for the Mayor of Athens to be the most promising event of these days,” Spartiates MP Konstantinos Floros said in Parliament on Thursday. In reaction, Stigas expressed his intention to take disciplinary measures.
“Regarding what my colleague mentioned earlier, I had no knowledge about it. Therefore, I must take appropriate action,” Stigas said.
In their statement later on Thursday, the nine MPs condemned Stigas’ remarks. “The speech of Mr Floros perfectly represents the 250,000 Greek citizens who honored us with their votes,” they said, pointedly avoiding mentioning Stigas by name.
