Syriza rebels break away to form separate ‘Popular Unity’ party

Rebels within Greek’s left-wing Syriza movement have announced that they will break away and form a separate party called ‘Popular Unity’.

Led by former energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, the movement will include 25 rebel Syriza MPs, according to Greek media reports.

The list of rebel MPs joining the party, published by the Ta Nea newspaper showed that parliamentary speaker Zoe Konstantopolou and former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis were not among its members.

Prime minister and Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras resigned on Thursday, paving way for snap elections in September. The move came after he lost the support of several of his own MPs in a vote on a third bailout with European creditors earlier this month.

Last week, he piloted the deal – that includes harsh austerity measures – through the Greek parliament, but suffered a major rebellion when nearly a third of Syriza MPs either voted against the package or abstained. Announcing his resignation on Thursday night, Tsipras said that he felt a “moral obligation” to put Greece’s third international bailout deal and the further austerity measures it requires in front of the people.

On Friday morning, the head of conservative New Democracy party – that placed second in January’s election – met with Greece’s president and will now be given three days to form a government.

If New Democracy head Vangelis Meimarakis fails to form a government, the chance will be given to Lafazanis’ new party, and then the far-right Golden Dawn party.

However, observers say that neither party will garner enough support to form a government and that elections will be called for 20 September.