ATHENS- Putting a chaotic congress behind him, which decided against holding new leadership elections, major opposition SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis is trying to rally the troops before European Parliament elections.

“We need a strong party, a party by its members, with new procedures and organizational methods, a party distant from the games of correlations and balances,” he said.

“I have been entrusted with a strong mandate to undertake the necessary structural expansion to establish a great progressive alliance that will outmatch the Right led by (Prime Minister) Kyriakos Mitsotakis,” he said.

The four day meeting of the Leftists was marked by turmoil, with former minister Olga Gerovasili openly challenging him after he dared an opponent to come forward before the congress rejected elections, leaving him in charge for now.

“The people of SYRIZA have spoken loud and clear. It is now our duty to organize the political counterattack of our party – the progressive counterattack. We will contest the European elections with all our might,” Kasselakis said.

“We seek the support of a social majority, whose quality of life is constantly deteriorating under every aspect of right-wing politics. We are not here to engage in empty talk or waste valuable political time,” he said.

“We look forward to rebuilding our wounded homeland. And we carefully contemplate our position within a Europe that has long ceased to be accountable to its citizens. In this Europe, we will wage the next major electoral battle,” he said. The European Parliament elections are scheduled June 6-9.