It is evident that former socialist PASOK prime minister George Papandreou and the current head of the PASOK party Evangelos Venizelos are far apart in their views. Mr. Venizelos considers the former chief of the party as a factor undermining his leadership, whereas there is speculation that Mr. Papandreou may create a new party to rival the one his father founded.

Amongst those supporting Mr. Papandreou are PASOK deputies Thanos Moraitis, Philippos Sahinidis and former deputies, such as Yiannis Ragoussis. The latter has already mentioned the creation of a new party.

Mr. Venizelos partners talk of “the return of the group that put us in the memorandum of 2010” and call Mr. Papandreou’s supporters “George’s gardeners”.

Sources state that the former prime minister is interested in returning to Greece’s political scene and is staging a comeback. He is planning a large press conference in December and is inviting journalists from abroad. The press conference will include a number of revelations and will talk about the debt that he acquired when he took over the country’s leadership from former New Democracy prime minister Kostas Karamanlis as well as the hard politics exercised by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras who was the main opposition leader at the time.

Mr. Papandreou has stated that he isn’t interested in bringing down the government or being a destabilizing factor. He is interested however in playing a role in regulating the political scene. Currently, he influences 6-8 deputies, and those close to him state that he has a strategy mapped out.

Papandreou hardliners include Nikos Sifounakis, Apostolos Kaklamanis, Angela Gerekou, Kostas Triandafyllos and Symeon Kedikglou amongst others.