On Thursday morning, Theodora Tsakri and Giota Poulou announced their decision to leave SYRIZA and become independent MPs.

Following this development, SYRIZA now holds 29 parliamentary seats, which means that PASOK, with 31 MPs, takes on the role of the main opposition party.

In their letters, the two MPs did not disclose their future intentions, simply stating that they will continue their parliamentary work as independents.

PASOK Becomes the Main Opposition

Practically, this change elevates PASOK in Parliament, granting it all the privileges of the main opposition party. These include relocating to the offices assigned to the party with this role, the party leader speaking immediately after the prime minister, and increased access to staff and other resources.

Hints of the Split

Giota Poulou hinted at this development during an interview on Thursday night, stating, “I have made my decision, and I would say it’s a matter of hours.” Similarly, Theodora Tsakri revealed on Thursday morning that during the founding declaration of Stefanos Kasselakis on Saturday afternoon, other MPs would also be present, adding, “We will achieve a parliamentary group.”

Previous Independent MPs from SYRIZA

It is worth noting that after the last SYRIZA conference, four other MPs—Petros Pappas, Alexandros Avlonitis, Rallia Christidou, and Kyriaki Malama—had also declared independence from the party.