‘There is an urgent need to fill numerous positions right now — the party is nearly headless, and so is its parliamentary group,’ said Rená Dourou on the evening of Tuesday, July 17, 2026, speaking about recent developments within SYRIZA on the Action24 television channel.
‘I Will Stand as a Candidate’
‘Regarding the parliamentary group’s leadership roles, I will not decline proposals made by fellow SYRIZA MPs for next week — I am prepared to stand as a candidate,’ clarified Dourou, who serves as a SYRIZA MP.
‘I’m always available to my comrades. When posts are vacant, some hesitate, fear exposure, or avoid getting entangled — and in the past, I stepped forward when no one else wanted to take the lead,’ she added.
On Leadership and Unity
When asked about Pavlos Polakis, Dourou stressed collective effort over individual ambition: ‘For decades, no single person can — on their own — get the party into Parliament or make it stronger. Trump submerged the vision of a strong America in the Strait of Hormuz. “Together” means dignity. The Left achieves greatness when it unites. Nothing helps a movement that operates divisively.’
On Sokratis Famellos and Coalition Talks
Commenting on Sokratis Famellos — a former SYRIZA MP who recently left the party — Dourou said his actions were not self-serving: ‘I believe it was a misreading of reality.’
She emphasized the need for dialogue with the New Left (Nea Aristera), noting that SYRIZA members had voted in favor of pursuing the strongest possible cooperation with any willing and capable forces — to prevent an 11-year right-wing government. ‘I view PASOK as a potential ally in toppling the Right,’ she concluded.