Syriza leader Sokratis Famellos reshuffles parliamentary reps amid internal split

On 16 June 2026 Syriza president Sokratis Famellos announced a major personnel change, removing parliamentary representative Nikos Pappas and appointing Theofilos Xanthopoulos and Kostas Barakas in his place. At the same time spokesperson Kostas Zaharidis stepped down, succeeded by Christos Giannoulis. The moves came after a wave of criticism from MPs Pavlos Polakis and Nikos Pappas over the party’s decision to support the newly founded EL.AS of former prime‑minister Alexis Tsipras. Famellos warned that “we will not allow coercive dilemmas from former members” and stressed the need for a clear “road‑map” before the summer. He reiterated Syriza’s stance that there should be no separate electoral list for EL.AS and that the party aims to unite progressive forces to challenge the Mitsotakis government. The internal dispute has intensified, with Polakis demanding an immediate proposal on cooperation with EL.AS and Pappas urging the leadership to clarify the next steps, while the party’s Central Committee debates the alliance’s strategic implications.