SYRIZA’s Akrita Apologizes Over Haughty Quip About ‘Laundry Woman’s Son’

Controversial SYRIZA deputy Elena Akrita tendered her resignation from the leftist party’s Parliament group on Friday, although the latter was not accepted by the embattled party’s acting head, Nikos Pappas.
Akrita, a celebrity television writer and columnist, generated a firestorm of criticism in the country after she posted the phrase “don’t fear the one who’s contented, fear the son of the laundry woman.” Deemed elitist and arrogant, the comment came after a previous FB post of her’s carried a photo of her living room – ostensibly to show a television image of opinion poll results – which included a partial view of an indoor pool in her upscale Athens’ district residence.
Akrita was elected on a state deputy list compiled by the leftist party for the 2023 election, meaning she didn’t vie for votes in a constituency but received her Parliament seat based on the electoral showing of the party.
Pappas, who as head of SYRIZA’s Parliament group now figures as its unofficial leader until an internal election for a new president later in the autumn, said Akritas’ apology and “public admission” for the crass comment was enough. Pappas himself has been the focus of criticism by political opponents, after being convicted by the a special court of breach of faith while he served as a minister.
SYRIZA’s helm is now essentially vacant after Stefanos Kasselakis was ousted by a majority vote of the party’s central committee members.