Edek party faces leadership crisis following Nikos Anastasiou resignation

Nikos Anastasiou has resigned from the presidency of the EDEK party following an extraordinary congress held on July 5, 2026. The resignation occurred amid intense internal disputes regarding party procedures and the management of the membership registry. An extraordinary general congress had previously decided to conduct a statutory congress, followed by an electoral congress, and mandated an external financial audit and a reorganization plan. The committee for congresses and membership registry reform, consisting of Diomidis Diomidous, Michalis Koutalianos, Pavlos Michail, and Nikos Nikolaidis, has urged Anastasiou to withdraw his resignation, emphasizing the need to respect institutional processes. Conversely, former MP Kostis Efstathiou criticized the current party leadership for allegedly resisting the surrender of power and failing to honor the congress's decisions. Internal factions, including the 'Agonas' initiative, describe the situation as a deep institutional crisis that threatens the party's future. The committee maintains that its operations are aligned with the mandates established at the extraordinary congress.