ATHENS: Rebels from Greece’s Syriza party said Friday they will form a new parliamentary group, a day after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras resigned and triggered snap elections.

The move confirmed a rift at the heart of the radical-left party, which soared to power in January by vowing to end austerity and erase the bulk of Greece’s massive public debt mountain.

At least 25 Syriza rebels will join the new party, named Popular Unity, as Greece launched into a bout of political horse-trading ahead of elections likely be held in a month’s time.

“In line with our electoral pledges, we are departing from the parliamentary group we formerly belonged to and are forming a new independent parliamentary group,” the euroskeptic rebels headed by ex-Communist former minister Panagiotis Lafazanis said in a statement. Syriza was deeply divided over Athens’ acceptance of the mammoth 86-billion-euro ($96-billion) bailout package finally agreed with international creditors last month, the third for Greece in five years.

Syriza rebels had mutinied in three separate parliamentary votes tied to the bailout, effectively leaving Tsipras at the head of a minority coalition government.

The revolt prompted Tsipras to announce his resignation late on Thursday, unleashing the early elections which are likely to take place on September 20, state news agency ANA said.

Addressing the nation, the 41-year-old premier said he had worked hard to secure the best possible rescue package for his country, but now needed a clear new mandate from the Greek people after it cost him his parliamentary majority.

“Now that this difficult cycle has come to an end, I wish to submit to your judgment all that we have done,” Tsipras said.

The move will leave Greece in the hands of a caretaker government until the vote, which would be the second in just eight months and the fourth since 2012.