Former SYRIZA MP Kostas Zachariadis joins Alexis Tsipras's new party ELAS
Zachariadis announced his entry into ELAS in a video posted to Facebook on 13 October 2026, one day after Vassilis Kokkalis said he would join the party. He framed the move as a call for a broad political rallying of progressive forces.
The announcement
Kostas Zachariadis, a former SYRIZA MP, announced on 13 October 2026 that he is joining the Greek Left Alliance (Ελληνική Αριστερή Συμπαράταξη, ELAS), the party founded by Alexis Tsipras. He made the announcement in a post and a video published on social media, with the video posted to Facebook. His statement called for a broad rallying of progressive forces and closed with an appeal to supporters.
Now is the time for the all-out mobilisation.
Why he is joining
In his statement Zachariadis argued that Greece needs political change and a change in the content of the policy being pursued. He said the founding of Tsipras's party reorganises the space of the Left and the Centre-Left and could overturn the existing balance of political forces. He presented ELAS as the place where he can pursue the values that motivate him and the continuation of his political path.
Greece needs political change and progressive change in the content of the policy being pursued.
Break with SYRIZA
Zachariadis had already announced his departure from SYRIZA in July. At that time he said the founding of Tsipras's party had brought new facts that no one can ignore.
The founding of Alexis Tsipras's party has brought new facts that no one can ignore.
Wider realignment
On Monday, 12 October, Vassilis Kokkalis, who had announced in the summer that he was resigning as a SYRIZA MP, said he had decided to take part in ELAS. Zachariadis's announcement followed the next day. The sequence of these announcements is set out below.
- Zachariadis announces his departure from SYRIZA
- Vassilis Kokkalis says he will take part in ELAS
- Zachariadis announces he is joining ELAS
