Political dominoes in Greek Parliament: 39 independents become second largest bloc after New Left's dissolution

The Greek Parliament is witnessing a political domino effect as the New Left party dissolves, swelling the ranks of independent lawmakers to a record 39 and significantly altering parliamentary dynamics.

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The departures from the New Left are now taking on the dimensions of a political domino effect.

The formation of the Hellenic Left Cooperation (ELAS) by former Prime Minister and ex-SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras is reshaping the political scene, not only within the broader center-left but across the entire parliament. The number of independent MPs, those not affiliated with any parliamentary group, has surged to an unprecedented 39 in Greece's post-dictatorship history. This fragmentation within the center-left is described as a phase of decomposition and simultaneous recomposition, leading to rapidly changing political balances.

The parliamentary group of the New Left officially ceased to exist on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, after six MPs, Alexis Charitsis, Nasos Iliopoulos, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, Theano Fotiou, Meropi Tzoufi, and Hussein Zeibek, announced their departure. This, combined with Efi Achtsioglou's resignation from her parliamentary seat, marks the definitive end of the New Left's parliamentary group. Only four MPs remain: Peti Perca, Euclid Tsakalotos, Thodoris Dritsas, and Sia Anastasopoulou. However, according to parliamentary rules, a minimum of five MPs are required to form a group for a party that participated in the last elections.

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The formation of ELAS (Hellenic Left Cooperation) by former Prime Minister and former SYRIZA President Alexis Tsipras is rearranging the political landscape.

This development dramatically reshapes the parliament's composition, reducing the number of official parliamentary groups from eight to seven. The independent MPs, despite not forming a unified entity, now numerically represent the second-largest force in parliament. The majority of these independents are former SYRIZA members, a party that elected 47 MPs in the 2023 elections and aimed to govern the country. Efi Achtsioglou's replacement is pending, with Yiannis Dragasakis being the first alternate in West Athens, followed by Dimitris Vitsas.

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The independent MPs, who do not belong to any Parliamentary Group, now number 39 – a number without precedent in post-dictatorship history.

The rapid developments in the left-wing political space follow the departure of seven New Left MPs and Achtsioglou's resignation. Most of these lawmakers are expected to join Alexis Tsipras's new party, ELAS, confirming its role as a rallying point for the center-left. These shifts were not entirely unexpected, as coexistence within the New Left had become difficult, with strategic disagreements over the future of the left leading to an open rupture. The announcement of ELAS's formation merely accelerated an already unfolding process.

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The coexistence of the two sides within the New Left had become difficult, with strategic differences over the future of the Left leading to an open rupture.