Sokratis Famellos has announced that he is leaving SYRIZA’s parliamentary group and will now sit as an independent MP. The former party leader submitted a letter to the Speaker of Parliament and announced his decision in a video posted on social media.

In his statement, Famellos spoke of a political deadlock, saying that recent developments do not reflect the values of the Left. He added that he cannot support a strategy of political isolation that fails to address citizens’ demand for a change of government.

“I have informed the Speaker of Parliament of my decision to leave the SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance parliamentary group. This is a very difficult decision, because my entire life has been connected with organised political activity in the Left, in Synaspismos and in SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance, since their founding,” he said.

He continued:

“However, what has been happening in recent days does not reflect the values of the Left. I cannot support political isolation, which does not respond to citizens’ need to remove the Right from power and replace it with a progressive government.

I deeply regret this deadlock. I thank all my comrades for the life journey we have shared together—a journey that does not end here. I remain committed to the ideas and values of the Left and to the struggle for a just society.

I will honour the mandate entrusted to me by the citizens with dignity, seriousness and consistency, doing everything I can to achieve broad progressive convergence and cooperation.”

He concluded his statement by saying:

“Here too, there have been serious delays and much remains to be done. Only in this way can we defeat the Right, which breeds poverty, scandals, injustice and inequality. Society is suffering and is asking us for unity and solutions, not division. That is the pledge I will honour, both inside and outside Parliament. I will work for that unity.”

Sokratis Famellos resigned as SYRIZA leader 13 days ago following disagreements over a proposal for political cooperation with Alexis Tsipras’ new party, EL.A.S. Last Saturday, Rena Dourou was elected leader of SYRIZA’s parliamentary group.