On Thursday afternoon, former minister Pavlos Polakis was kicked out of the main opposition SYRIZA party's Parliamentary group for verbally criticizing the health minister's legal adviser over her appearance, citing a particular facial expression he saw as displaying "disdain."

The combative and frequently antagonistic Polakis, who has been at the center of numerous confrontations with political opponents and some members of the press for years, reportedly "crossed the line" on Thursday during a meeting of a Parliamentary Committee that was called to discuss and consider draft bills pertaining to the health sector.

The head of the leftist party's Parliament group, Socrates Famellos, was given the order to remove Polakis from the group by SYRIZA party president Stefanos Kasselakis, who does not sit in parliament.