Zoi Anastasopoulou joins SYRIZA group as Giorgos Varemenos expected to go independent

Two seats refilled in Parliament

Zoi Anastasopoulou and Giorgos Varemenos took the political oath in the plenary of the Greek Parliament on Monday, 2 November 2026. Anastasopoulou took the seat of Dionysis Kalamatianos in Ilia, while Varemenos took the seat of Miltos Zamparas, both of whom had resigned their seats the previous week. SYRIZA leader Rena Dourou attended the ceremony. Presiding officer Giannis Plakiotakis presided and wished the two new MPs well.

How the seats became vacant

Kalamatianos was elected with SYRIZA in 2023, later became independent and joined ELAS, the Greek Left Alliance founded by Alexis Tsipras, before deciding to leave Parliament. He informed the chamber of his decision on Friday, 23 October, and Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis announced the resignation on Tuesday, 27 October. Zamparas announced his resignation on Thursday, 29 October, in a video posted on social media, saying he would continue his political path with Tsipras and ELAS. Kathimerini reported that both men, also elected with SYRIZA in 2023, had become independent in summer 2026, when Tsipras's party was being founded.

SYRIZA's group and Varemenos's expected exit

Anastasopoulou remains in SYRIZA's parliamentary group, and Dourou welcomed her there in a statement.

“We welcome today to the SYRIZA-PS parliamentary group comrade Zoi Anastasopoulou, MP for Ilia.”

Dourou added that consistency is proven through action. Varemenos, who has said he will send a letter of independence immediately, is expected to leave the group. Kathimerini noted that after the 2023 split he had been close to New Left.

“Consistency is earned in practice.”

Reports differ on the group's size. Iefimerida said the group reaches 12 MPs with Anastasopoulou's oath. Kathimerini said it would count 12 from Monday, one more than the Elliniki Lysi group, while To Vima said it would number 12 after Varemenos's expected departure. Kathimerini also expects the chain of resignations of independent MPs who came from SYRIZA to continue in the coming period, as SYRIZA hopes to strengthen its parliamentary strength.