Independent East Attica MP Myrto Korovesi is expected to join Greece's opposition PASOK party within the next 24 hours following negotiations with party leadership in Athens.
The 29-year-old lawmaker clarified that official announcements have not yet been made, but her move comes as PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis focuses on expanding the party's parliamentary group ahead of upcoming national elections.
Negotiations between Korovesi and PASOK headquarters on Charilaou Trikoupi Street come amid broader efforts by Androulakis to attract politicians from across the wider progressive spectrum.
Korovesi's expected transition follows the entry of Evangelos Apostolakis into PASOK's parliamentary group two days ago. The retired admiral and former Minister of National Defence has already joined active party tours in Crete, with PASOK foreshadowing additional parliamentary additions.
In recent interviews, Korovesi spoke favorably of PASOK's policy positions, stating that implementing them would improve the daily lives of citizens. She emphasized that her formal positioning will take place once procedures are completed and final decisions are reached.
Speaking to the Athens 9.84 radio station, Korovesi identified herself as belonging to the center-left and insisted that political change in Greece must take a progressive direction. She linked the need for political cooperation to addressing party fragmentation and offering representation to citizens who feel politically excluded, stating that she is seeking a common plan to address social issues.
Wave of parliamentary defections from SYRIZA
The negotiations with Korovesi form part of a steady strategy by PASOK leadership to recruit politicians who departed SYRIZA and its subsequent spin-off parties. On September 8, former Kastoria MP and former Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development Olympia Teligioridou, along with former Serres MP Lefteris Avramakis, announced their alignment with PASOK after meeting Androulakis in Thessaloniki. The party stated that the two former SYRIZA politicians were joining forces for political change.
Corfu MP Alexandros Avlonitis has also joined PASOK, strengthening the party's effort to convert cross-party collaborations into broader electoral support across the progressive space.
Because Korovesi and Apostolakis are sitting members of parliament, their inclusion directly boosts PASOK's immediate legislative representation. Apostolakis is expected to stand as a candidate in Messinia, where he originates. Nina Kasimati is also under consideration for a potential spot on the ballot in the Second District of Piraeus, although that arrangement remains under formation without an official announcement.
Greek political landscape and parliamentary background
PASOK, short for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement - Movement for Change, is the principal center-left opposition party in Greece. Under the leadership of Nikos Androulakis, the party has sought to consolidate progressive opposition forces against the governing party. Charilaou Trikoupi Street in central Athens houses the historic headquarters of PASOK, a name frequently used in Greek politics to refer to party leadership.
The defections come during a period of significant fragmentation within SYRIZA, the Coalition of the Radical Left, which served as Greece's main opposition party before undergoing multiple splits and leadership changes. Those splits left several lawmakers serving as independents or joining newly formed political groups in the Hellenic Parliament.
Political career of Myrto Korovesi
Born in 1997, Korovesi is a lawyer and a graduate of the Law School of the University of Athens. Her parliamentary career began in July 2026, when she assumed the seat vacated by the resignation of Giorgos Karameros.
Korovesi ran in the June 2023 national elections as the second runner-up on SYRIZA's ballot in East Attica. She entered parliament after the first runner-up, Christos Spirtzis, declined to take the vacant seat.
After leaving SYRIZA, Korovesi aligned with Stefanos Kasselakis, the former SYRIZA leader, and served as vice-president of his political party. On July 28, she announced her departure from Democrats - Progressive Center, voicing criticism regarding the party's strategic shifts and political direction.
