“Umbrella,” the left-wing faction of the main opposition SYRIZA party, led by former Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, has officially announced it has quit the party.

The break had been made almost inevitable by Kasselakis’ decision to ask for the expulsion of three “Umbrella” members, all former ministers, with two of them – Panos Skourletis and Dimitris Vitsas – also having serves as party secretaries. The third member, former Education Minister Nikos Filis, had said Kasselakis behaved more like Bepe Grillo, the Italian comedian who founded a political party, and former US President Donald Trump than a left-wing politician.

Kasselakis, made aware that his proposal might not be approved by either the party’s Disciplinary Commission or its Central Committee, proposed a few days, on the eve of a Central Committee meeting, that the expulsion be approved by the party base. This was criticized even by several of his supporters within the party and made certain that the Central Committee’s meeting on Saturday became a tumultuous affair.

“We feel our historic responsibility. We insist [on being on the] left and our vision is a socialism with liberty and democracy,” the “Umbrella” statement says.

The 45 signatures, besides Tsakalotos, Vitsas, Skourletis and Filis, include former Parliamer Minister Nikos Voutsis, Health Minister Andreas Xanthos and Shipping Minister Theodoros Dritsas.

The “Umbrella”’s next moves could include forming a new party. A lot will hinge on how many SYRIZA supporters will follow them on their venture.