In a clear message to SYRIZA’s internal ranks on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, former Attica regional governor Rena Dourou addressed growing speculation around party realignments — particularly following Alexis Tsipras’s formation of the new political initiative ELAS (Hellenic Left Alliance). Speaking on the radio station Parapolitika 90.1, Dourou described as “distressing” the trend of MPs elected under SYRIZA in the 2023 national elections appearing to ‘flirt’ with the idea that their parliamentary seats are subject to short-term political contracts — transferable to other parties at will.
A Seat, Not a Commodity
Dourou, MP for the B2 constituency of Western Athens, emphasized that her seat is not up for negotiation. “I will not put my seat up for auction. I hold a seat called SYRIZA,” she stated unequivocally. She invoked a metaphor she had previously used at SYRIZA’s second-to-last congress: “Some cannot permanently sit in first class on the ship while others shovel coal in the hold.” For her, politics must not be reduced to a relentless pursuit of paid positions — detached from ideology, policy, or principle.
Resignation vs. Seat-Transfer
Dourou drew a sharp distinction between a politician’s legitimate right to leave a party and the practice of transferring a parliamentary mandate for personal gain. “It’s fair for someone to decide to step away from a political force. What’s unfair is to have taken up a seat — a public mandate — and then try to take it elsewhere for private or self-serving reasons,” she said.
Broader Democratic Concerns
She stressed that the issue extends beyond SYRIZA — it touches on democratic integrity itself. “Every time politics is devalued, democracy doesn’t win; the far right does,” she warned.
Unity — But Not at Any Cost
While affirming there’s no reason for confrontation with either Alexis Tsipras or PASOK — describing them as neighboring political spaces — Dourou set firm boundaries between genuine unity and the optics of fragmentation. “Uniting democratic forces to remove New Democracy’s government is non-negotiable,” she said. Yet she added that the crucial questions remain: how and when such unity can be achieved — and under what conditions.
On Tsipras specifically, Dourou acknowledged his “significant role — not only for the Left, but for Greece as a whole.” Still, she cautioned that discussions about leadership of any unified electoral list are premature. The Central Committee’s recent decision — stating SYRIZA will not oppose ELAS — offers no clear answers, she noted, and urgently requires clarification.