SYRIZA appoints Rena Dourou parliamentary chief, Nikos Pappas secretary in bid to halt disintegration

A party in survival mode

SYRIZA's Central Committee met on 18 July 2026 for a session that lasted around 12 hours, aiming to halt a wave of departures that has shrunk its parliamentary group and paralyzed the party machinery. The meeting came after Rena Dourou was elected unopposed as the new head of the parliamentary group, replacing the previous leadership. The party has been hemorrhaging MPs and mid-level cadres, especially in the regions, since a controversial June decision on cooperation with other left-wing forces. The leadership presented the restructuring as the start of a reconstruction effort, though internal tensions remained visible.

The new leadership lineup

By the end of the session, Nikos Pappas was elected secretary of the Central Committee, with Natasa Gkara as deputy secretary and Giannis Boulekos as organizational secretary. The newly formed Political Secretariat, a 34-member body, was also approved. Pavlos Polakis, who had withdrawn from the race for parliamentary group head, was appointed secretary of strategic planning. Dimitris Melidis became press representative, with Giorgos Panagiotopoulos as his deputy. The composition of the electoral committee will be decided later by the Political Secretariat.

Dourou's call for unity

Rena Dourou, received with applause, described the moment as a "critical juncture" and insisted that "no one is surplus" to the rebuilding effort. She left pointed criticism of the previous leadership, calling the June Central Committee decision on the party's strategy towards the ELAS grouping "most unfortunate" and arguing that it "essentially led to the dissolution of SYRIZA." Dourou said the party would contest the next national elections, either with a broader progressive ticket or autonomously, and rejected the notion that SYRIZA had completed its historical cycle.

Pappas: 'SYRIZA is here'

Nikos Pappas struck a defiant tone, declaring that "SYRIZA is here and is standing" and vowing to disprove predictions of the party's demise. He acknowledged the difficulty of the task, citing the phrase of the late left-wing figure Ilias Iliou that "we are the faction of infinite sacrifices." Pappas insisted the party would enter parliament and play a protagonist role in the broader Left. He also sent a sharp message to MPs who left while keeping their seats.

The parliamentary seat is not personal luggage that can be carried around and put up for auction. Those who choose a different political path must hand it over.

Polakis accuses Tsipras

The most combative speech came from Pavlos Polakis, who directly accused former prime minister Alexis Tsipras of orchestrating a "plan to dissolve SYRIZA." Polakis, who opted not to seek the parliamentary group leadership, said his continued presence in the party depended on whether its political direction expressed him, a signal of a fragile coexistence. His appointment as strategic planning secretary keeps him inside the tent, but the tension with the Tsipras camp remains unresolved.

What comes next

The party approved a collective leadership structure to steer it until the national elections, which could be held as early as autumn. A major initiative is planned for September to showcase the party's program, which includes a 10-point plan calling for a public bank, state control of the Public Power Corporation and Hellenic Petroleum, and a strong public pillar in energy and banking. The Central Committee also criticized the Mitsotakis government for failing to tackle the housing crisis and high prices, accusing it of not utilizing available resources of 120 billion euros. The leadership called on independent MPs to return their seats, insisting that the party will rebuild and re-enter parliament.