Alexandros Avlonitis, a member of the Hellenic Parliament representing Corfu, has broken with his new party's stance by supporting a post-election coalition between PASOK and progressive opposition parties in Greece.
Speaking on the Athens radio station Athina 9.84 on September 21, 2026, Avlonitis urged center-left leadership to set aside party divisions and explore governing agreements if parliamentary election results allow it.
The Corfu lawmaker stated that PASOK could play a catalytic role in unifying progressive political forces. He stressed that achieving political change required party entrenchments to be set aside once voters deliver their verdict at the ballot box.
Call for progressive coalition
Avlonitis said that if election results demonstrate the possibility of a governing coalition, political leaders must set aside personal egos, party autonomy, and self-sufficiency. He argued that doing so is necessary to establish the conditions for a government capable of ruling the country effectively.
During the interview, Avlonitis named potential coalition partners for PASOK, including SYRIZA, the political movement of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, and the Hellenic Left Alignment. He added that PASOK should also hold talks with Course of Freedom, led by Zoe Konstantopoulou, provided the party secures parliamentary representation.
Regarding Konstantopoulou, Avlonitis noted what he described as the unique and dynamic character of her leadership, maintaining that dialogue with her party should remain open if electoral numbers align.
Rift with official PASOK strategy
Avlonitis made the proposal three days after officially joining PASOK on September 18, 2026. His comments mark a clear departure from the official strategy of PASOK leadership, which advocates an autonomous electoral path rather than formal power-sharing agreements with rival left-wing factions.
Before joining PASOK, Avlonitis served as an independent lawmaker following his departure from SYRIZA and his alignment with Stefanos Kasselakis. PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis welcomed Avlonitis to the party on September 18, stating he was glad to join forces with the Corfu representative to work toward political change.
Background on Greek political parties
PASOK, officially known as the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, is one of the main center-left political parties in Greece, historically alternating in power with the conservative New Democracy party. SYRIZA, the Coalition of the Radical Left, served as Greece's ruling party under Alexis Tsipras between 2015 and 2019, while Course of Freedom was established in 2016 by former parliamentary speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou.
Under Greek parliamentary rules, political parties must secure at least three percent of the national vote to gain representation in the Hellenic Parliament. When general elections fail to produce a single-party majority, leaders negotiate coalition agreements, making post-election alliances a central feature of Greek governance.
