KKE 19th Congress Begins - Papariga Might Step Down

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The 19th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) opens on Thursday, with a presentation of the KKE Central Committee's recommendations by party leader Aleka Papariga.

According to an announcement by the KKE press office, the Congress follows four months of discussion of the pre-Congress texts with party organisations, the KKE's youth organisation KNE and thousands of working people, adding that the Central Committee's text of Positions and the party's new Program were approved in voting by 96.8 percent of the party's members, while the new party Constitution was approved by 97.3 percent of the members.

After more than two decades at the helm of the KKE, Aleka Papariga could be stepping down, a report in Kathimerini said earlier in the week. Sources apparently told the daily that she is contemplating not running for the post of general secretary at the party’s congress. Papariga had hinted at the possibility of stepping down in recent interviews with local media.

In March she told Kathimerini that it was up to the communist party’s congress to determine its next leadership. And she stated on MEGA channel at the beginning of 2013 that the KKE had developed a new generation of highly capable party officials.

At the congress, Papariga is expected to present the central commiittee’s suggestions regarding the party's duties, program and action until the next congress.