Left-wing opposition party SYRIZA continued to hemorrhage lawmakers on Friday, with legislator Miltos Zambaras announcing he was leaving the party, adding to a wave of defections that has sharply reduced its parliamentary strength.
Zambaras, who represents the western constituency of Aetolia-Acarnania, became the latest lawmaker to declare himself an independent.
Earlier Friday, former minister Yiannis Ragousis also announced his departure from the party.
Their exits followed the defections on Thursday of Popi Tsapanidou, Kostas Barkas and Kalliopi Vetta. Together with Symeon Kedikoglou, who has announced his intention to leave but has yet to formally submit his resignation letter, the departures have reduced SYRIZA’s parliamentary group to 15 lawmakers.
Additional departures are expected in the coming days. Former minister Olga Gerovasili, Dionysis Kalamatianos and Vasilis Kokkalis are widely expected to resign from the parliamentary group, while former party leader Sokratis Famellos is also considered likely to leave following the party’s central committee meeting on Saturday.
