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Democrats – Progressive Centre

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Democrats – Progressive Centre
Δημοκράτες – Προοδευτικό Κέντρο
PresidentStefanos Kasselakis
FounderStefanos Kasselakis
Founded23 November 2024; 21 months ago (2024-11-23)
Split fromSYRIZA
HeadquartersVasilissis Amalias Avenue, Athens
Membership35,000[1]
Ideology
Political positionCentre[2]
European affiliationEuropean Democratic Party
Colours  Orange
  Purple
Website
democrats-pc.gr

Democrats – Progressive Centre (Greek: Δημοκράτες – Προοδευτικό Κέντρο, romanized: Dimokrates – Proodeftiko Kentro) formerly Movement for Democracy (Greek: Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας, romanized: Kínima Dimokratías), is a political party formed in Greece on 23 November 2024 by the former leader of Syriza, Stefanos Kasselakis after the party's extraordinary congress refused to approve his candidacy in the internal elections.[3] The party's founding declaration was signed by, among others, five independent MPs, formerly members of the Syriza parliamentary group.[4]

History

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Syriza and Kasselakis

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Following Syriza's disappointing performance in the May and June 2023 legislative elections, Alexis Tsipras, its long-time leader, stood down from his position. In the following leadership election, Kasselakis as an outsider candidate was elected to succeed Tsipras.[5] Kasselakis set about moving the party towards the centre, a controversial move which led to several figures leaving Syriza and the formation of party splits, including New Left.[6]

Internally, Syriza faced a crisis when key officials of central committee of the party attempted and succeeded to oust Kasselakis as party leader on accusations of "autocratic behavior".[7] Kasselakis attempted to stand as a candidate in the new leadership election but was barred.[6]

New party

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Following his expulsion from Syriza, Stefanos Kasselakis announced the creation of a new political initiative. Initially unnamed, he opened the party's name to a public vote. [8] On 23 November, 2024, he unveiled the party’s name as "Kínima Dimokratías" (transl.: Movement for Democracy)

In April 2025, the party formalized its internal structures in preparation for elections later that month. It also expressed its intent to join the European Democratic Party (EDP). A proposal for membership was submitted to party members for an internal vote on 8–9 April. On 10 April, Kínima Dimokratías officially joined the EDP. [9]

In May 2025, the party held elections for its presidency. Kasselakis faced a challenge from Elias Michalakopoulos, a fellow party member. Kasselakis secured the presidency with 96.8% of the vote.[10] The party joined the European Democratic Party in 2025,[11] and adopted its current name in 2026.[12]

Affiliated members of parliament

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The party has stated its intention to form an official parliamentary group, which would require a minimum of ten MPs.[13] There is currently one party member who sits as an independent in the Hellenic Parliament. The independent MP Evangelos Apostolakis was associated with the party after leaving Syriza, but has not joined it formally.[14]

Name Constituency Former party Joined Notes Ref.
Rallia Christidou Athens B3 Syriza 23 September 2024 [4]

Furthermore, several MPs have formerly affiliated themselves with the party.

Name Constituency Former party Period Notes Ref.
Myrto Korovesi [el] East Attica Syriza 2024–2026 Vice president[15] [16][17][18]
Giota Poulou [el] Boeotia 2024–2026 [4][19]
Michalis Chourdakis [el] Thessaloniki A Course of Freedom 2025–2026 Press spokesperson[a] [22][23]
Alexandros Avlonitis Corfu Syriza 2024–2026 [4][24]
Theodora Tzakri Pella 2024–2026 [4][25]
Kyriaki Malama [el] Chalkidiki 2024–2025 [4][26]
  1. ↑ Chourdakis attempted to resign from the party and his position on 30 January 2025 surrounding his position on the Prespa Agreement, but his resignation was rejected by Kasselakis.[20][21]

References

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  1. ↑ "Στέφανος Κασσελάκης: «Στόχος τα 100.000 μέλη μέσα το 2025 - Έχουμε ξεπεράσει τα 35.000 σήμερα»". Reader (in Greek). 21 December 2024. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Greece". Europe Elects. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  3. ↑ Sleed (23 November 2024). "Η πρώτη ανάρτηση Κασσελάκη: "Το Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας είναι η Ιστορία που γράφουν οι πολλοί" - Documento". www.documentonews.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας: Οι πέντε ανεξάρτητοι βουλευτές που υπέγραψαν την ιδρυτική διακήρυξη". AthensVoice (in Greek). 23 November 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  5. ↑ Smith, Helena (25 September 2023). "Stefanos Kasselakis: ex-banker who lit up Greek politics to lead Syriza". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  6. 1 2 Smith, Helena (10 November 2024). "Greece's Syriza could lose status as main opposition as Kasselakis launches new party". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  7. ↑ Kokkinidis, Tasos (8 September 2024). "Stefanos Kasselakis Ousted by Syriza Amid Party Tensions - GreekReporter.com". GreekReporter.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Stefanos Kasselakis announces new party in Greece after leaving Syriza". euronews. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "The European Democratic Party Welcomes Greece's Movement for Democracy". democrats.eu. 10 April 2025.
  10. ↑ "Kasselakis Elected President of Movement for Democracy Party". tovima.com. 24 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "The European Democratic Party Welcomes Greece's Movement for Democracy". democrats.eu. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  12. ↑ ertnews.gr, Συντακτική ομάδα (17 February 2026). "Κασσελάκης: «Δημοκράτες - Προοδευτικό Κέντρο» το νέο όνομα του κόμματος - Eγκρίθηκε με ποσοστό 71,8%". ertnews.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Στ. Κασσελάκης: Αρχές του 2025 η Κοινοβουλευτική Ομάδα του Κινήματος Δημοκρατίας". www.naftemporiki.gr (in Greek). 21 December 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "Σε αναμονή". www.emakedonia.gr (in Greek). 24 February 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  15. ↑ "Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας: Την 28χρονη δικηγόρο Μυρτώ Κοροβέση προτείνει για αντιπρόεδρο ο Στ. Κασσελάκης". athensvoice.gr (in Greek). 12 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Στο Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας η δικηγόρος Μυρτώ Κοροβέση - Το καλωσόρισμα Κασσελάκη". dnews.gr (in Greek). 29 December 2024.
  17. ↑ "Μυρτώ Κοροβέση: Ορκίστηκε βουλευτής στη θέση του Γιώργου Καραμέρου – Τρίτο κόμμα πλέον το ΚΚΕ". ieidiseis.gr (in Greek). 15 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Τέλος από το κόμμα του Στέφανου Κασσελάκη και η Μυρτώ Κοροβέση που ορκίστηκε βουλευτής στη θέση του Γιώργου Καραμέρου" (in Greek). 28 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Αποχωρεί από τους Δημοκράτες του Κασσελάκη και η Γιώτα Πούλου". protagon.gr (in Greek). 7 July 2026. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Sleed (30 January 2025). "Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας: Την παραίτηση του έθεσε ο Χουρδάκης λίγες ημέρες μετά την προσχώρηση του - Documento". www.documentonews.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  21. ↑ "Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας: Παραίτηση Χουρδάκη για τις Πρέσπες, δεν την έκανε δεκτή ο Κασσελάκης". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). 30 January 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  22. ↑ "Μιχάλης Χουρδάκης: Προσχωρεί στο Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας και αναλαμβάνει εκπρόσωπος Τύπου". www.naftemporiki.gr (in Greek). 28 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  23. ↑ "Δημοκράτες-ΠΚ: Εκτός και ο Χουρδάκης από το κόμμα Κασσελάκη". naftemporiki.gr (in Greek). 29 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Αλέξανδρος Αυλωνίτης: Αποχώρησε από το Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας με αιχμές κατά Κασσελάκη". in.gr (in Greek). 29 January 2026.
  25. ↑ "Η Θεοδώρα Τζάκρη ανακοίνωσε την αποχώρησή της από το κόμμα Κασσελάκη". lifo.gr (in Greek). 28 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "Αποχώρησε από το Κίνημα Δημοκρατίας η Κυριακή Μάλαμα – «Δεν παραβιάστηκε καμία ιδρυτική μας αρχή» δηλώνει ο Κασσελάκης". ertnews.gr (in Greek). 21 December 2025.
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