[4] Valavani was a student in Iraklio during the Greek military junta, and engaged in anti-regime activities under the auspices of the then-outlawed Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) and Communist Party of Greece (KKE), for which she was imprisoned in various facilities, including a five-month stretch in solitary confinement.
[5] Valavani took part in the activities of KKE and KNE during the generally more tolerant political atmosphere following the regime change, which allowed her to travel widely throughout Europe and to the United States.
In 2009, she contested Athens B for Syriza and lost in a difficult election, afterwards devoting herself to campaigning for Syriza, working as a canvasser, author of pamphlets, and organizing rallies while engaging in dialogue with other leftist groups and writing opinion pieces for various left and centre-left newspapers.
[citation needed] On 15 July 2015, Valavani resigned from her role as Alternate Minister of Finance in the Greek government, shortly before an important vote on a bailout package.
[8] On 8 March 2015 Valavani was admitted to an Athens hospital suffering the symptoms of pneumonia apparently brought on from stress.