Internal disputes and financial crisis hit EDEK ahead of party congress

Internal friction has emerged within the EDEK party just days before the scheduled statutory congress on October 25. Members of the Political Bureau sent a formal letter to party leader Sofia Christodoulou-Makri on October 16, accusing her of bypassing collective institutional procedures and making unilateral decisions regarding staff layoffs, financial management, and political initiatives. Some members also expressed dissatisfaction over the use of the term 'reunification' in a recent party statement. In response, Makri postponed a scheduled Political Bureau meeting on October 19 to allow for further deliberation.

Meanwhile, the party is facing severe financial instability following its exclusion from Parliament, which led to the loss of state funding and forced staff cuts. Despite these tensions, the upcoming statutory congress is expected to signal a new page for the party, with the anticipated return of previously expelled members, including Kostis Efstathiou and Dimitris Papadakis. The party now faces a critical period leading up to the electoral congress scheduled for December, with the leadership balancing internal dissent and the necessity of structural changes to address the critical economic situation.