Stefanos Kasselakis cannot run for his own successor, SYRIZA's central committee has decided.

Of 152 members of the Central Committee, 138 voted on Saturday evening not to accept Kasselakis' candidacy.

The central committee has 293 members, but Kasselakis' supporters decided to boycott the meeting in an Athens hotel in the hope that there would be no quorum. Only MP Theodora Tzakiri attended the meeting to denounce a “coup” against the former SYRIZA leader.

Kasselakis himself did not take part, nor did leadership candidate Pavlos Polakis, who had opposed Kasselakis but spoke out against his exclusion from the leadership contest.

After the vote, Kasselakis said he would address his critics at the party conference next month.

Tensions have escalated ahead of the leadership contest. Pro- and anti-Kasselakis forces exchanged sharp words and Kasselakis himself sent a summons to his own party because his source of income declaration was published in the pro-SYRIZA newspaper Efimerida to Syntakton.

In this case, the income statements of all candidates were published and Kasselakis, falsely claiming that his subpoena had forced the publication, withdrew them.

Kasselakis supporters gathered outside the hotel where the Central Committee meeting was taking place and shouted insults against the party cadre.

Kasselakis, who was ousted as leader in September, just days before his first anniversary as leader, insists he is “de facto and de jure” SYRIZA leader.

It is not clear whether he would win the contest if he were allowed to take part, but he has a loyal following among party members.

The final list of leadership candidates will be announced on October 24. An extraordinary party conference will take place on November 8th and 10th. The first round of the competition will take place on November 24th, with a runoff election taking place on December 1st if necessary.