A group of 22 people who recently left rail safety activist Maria Karystianou’s fledgling Hope for Democracy party, on Wednesday complained of a lack of transparency and checks in the party’s operation.
The former party officials or members include ex-spokesman Thanassis Avgerinos and US-based Greek actress and singer Katerina Moutsatsou, a member of the culture department.
In a joint statement Wednesday they said that their resignations had not been due to frustrated ambitions or lack of stamina.
“We refused to compromise with practices that we considered to be incompatible with the principles that launched this effort,” the statement said. The former party officials complained of a concentrative decision-making model and a lack of democratic processes.
The party was launched on May 21 and initially ranked in opinion polls as Greece’s fourth most popular. It has since seen its support drop, while Karystianou alienated many with comments that steered close to right-wing populism.
