Nikos Androulakis was re-elected to the helm of Greece’s main opposition party on Sunday night, an outcome that came as no surprise. However, the reactions of the two main candidates in the final round of the PASOK election underscored the party’s unity, standing in stark contrast to the internal strife plaguing SYRIZA.
Voter turnout for the center-left PASOK leadership election on Sunday was notably lower than in the first round held last week.
Reports indicate that 201,654 voters participated, compared to the more than 300,000 who cast their ballots two Sundays ago.
Androulakis recieved almost 60% of the vote against Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, who reeled in the remainder.
PASOK Election- A Unified Front
Following the elections, To Vima reported that Doukas called Androulakis to congratulate him and that Androulakis responded, “Thank you, Haris. We move forward together.”
Doukas’ public statement was also a message of unity, emphasizing that “in just 3.5 months, we managed to conduct a clear and honest campaign, without compromises against extreme attacks, and create a strong political movement. I will continue to fight for our principles and values: democracy, justice, participation, transparency, with unity, and with everyone’s involvement, for a great, open, and strong Pasok that can govern. I will always be here, on the front line.”
Other prominent PASOK party members, like Pavlos Geroulanos, Anna Diamantopoulou, Michalis Katrinis, and Nadia Giannakopoulou echoed the focus on party unity and praised the flawless and democratic election process.
Ομιλία του επανεκλεγμένου πρόεδρου του ΠΑΣΟΚ Νίκου Ανδρουλάκη έξω από τα κεντρικά γραφεία του κόμματος στη Χαριλάου Τρικούπη, στην Αθήνα, στις 13 Οκτωβρίου, 2024
SYRIZA’s Fragmentation
Indeed the election process stands in stark contrast to the turbulence within SYRIZA.
Over the weekend the drama reached a crescendo when SYRIZA’s Central Committee meeting voted to bar the former party president, Stefanos Kasselakis, from the leadership election process.
The meeting was delayed several hours due to a strategic attempt of Kasselakis’ supporters to prevent the meeting from reaching quorum.
Eventually, the meeting proceeded, despite the fact that Kasselakis and his followers remained outside of the room.
SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis speaks to reporters during a visit on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the party’s offices in the Cretan port city of Hania (Chania).
