ATHENS – SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance spokesperson Nassos Iliopoulos called on the public to “boost the message of a political change and come vote for the party’s leader,” on Sunday during the party’s leadership election.

In statements to Mega TV, Iliopoulos said the party election – which opened nationally, also result in the election of the party’s Central Committee, and will run to 20:00 – said anyone could vote at the 1,000 party election centers nationally.

It is the first time the party’s members directly elect its Central Committee. While only members since March 21 may vote for the Committee, voting for party leadership is open to anyone as long as they register on election day, contributing 2 euros toward election costs.

“It may be the first time that an internal party process is so closely tied to central political developments,” Iliopoulos said, adding that “when the situation is as is, people do not care about internal party relationships but about how circumstances can change.” At this time, he said, “in Greece, 99% of increases in wholesale electricity prices are passed on to consumers; Austria, second in this, is at 46%.” These are factors that show citizens are being looted by the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “who coordinates this looting against citizens.”