When Gabriel Sakellaridis resigned as an MP but not from the party, a number of political analysts wondered why he had prefered to remain in a party whose policies he no longer espouses. His choice of resigning rather than voting against the bailout measures he is against can be seen as “moral” by most.

A decision to not harm the party was more personal than it was political as Sakellaridis considers Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to be a friend. They once shared the same vision for the party, campaigned at the same rallies and still have many common friends.