11 resigned lawmakers from Greek main opposition form new parliamentary group

ATHENS

Eleven lawmakers who left the main opposition SYRIZA party last month announced the formation of a new parliamentary group.

An event was held on Monday to announce the group's formation.

The New Left group's leader, former Interior Minister Alexis Charitsis, said: "We want a new, modern, European Left, a reliable, militant, visionary Left, a broad and open-minded Left that speaks with honesty and clarity," according to state-run AMNA news agency.

Arguing that the Greek political scene is experiencing a major crisis, as manifested by the divisive course of their former party SYRIZA, he added, "There is a need to put forward a wholesome, ambitious plan that will provide answers to the big issues of our time: climate crisis, social inequalities, and the overall quality of democracy in the 21st century."

"New Left will fight the big battle of the June 2024 European elections with progressive ideas that will translate into actions", Charitsis said.

The lawmakers accused SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis of running the party "undemocratically."

The resigned names include former Labor Minister Efi Achtsioglou; former Alternate Foreign Minister Sia Anagnostopoulou; former Deputy Labor Minister Nasos Iliopoulos; former Government spokesperson Dimitris Tzanakopoulos; one of the party's founders Meropi Tzoufi; former Alternate Social Solidarity Minister Fotiou Theano; former Interior Minister Alexis Charitsis and lawmakers Ozgur Ferhat and Huseyin Zeybek – both representing the country's Turkish minority in the Western Thrace.

They were later joined by former Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and former member of the party's central committee Peti Perka, who quit the party before them, in forming the New Left group.