A joint meeting of the Political Council and Parliamentary Group is scheduled for tomorrow. The new intervention by Doukas and Papandreou’s line for a progressive front
PASOK: Leadership and Internal Conflict Ahead of Crucial Meeting
As PASOK’s key organs prepare for their first post-election meeting, battle lines are being drawn. Today, party executives and MPs, including Nikos Androulakis, are openly discussing the failure to achieve the second-place goal in the European elections.
The leadership aims to leverage the battlefield advantages it has set by convening a joint meeting of the Political Council and the caucus. Over 70 MPs and officials will gather around the same table, though it remains uncertain if everyone will have the chance to speak, potentially leading to the meeting being adjourned and resumed the following day.
Executives advocating for a leadership election emphasize their intention to keep the conversation focused on contentious issues, maintaining pressure on the leadership to set up polls before the year’s end.
The meeting, scheduled for noon, will unfold against a backdrop of conflict between the leadership and challengers. Nikos Androulakis’ threat of dismissal for those engaging in “toxic speech” has met with a harsh response from dissenters, who claim his threats highlight his political weakness. Meanwhile, the Prefectural Organizations, largely controlled by Harilaou Trikoupi, are expected to positively evaluate the election results by week’s end.
Executives critical of the leadership intend to present a unified proposal for “clean solutions” at the Central Committee meeting on June 30. However, Nikos Androulakis may use the element of surprise, potentially calling for polls as early as July, according to a “leak” from Harilaou Trikoupis.
Determined to maintain control, Androulakis has not disclosed the timing of a potential appeal to the polls. He has declared his intention to seek re-election and called on others with similar ambitions to step forward. Accusing certain officials of pre-planning their challenge from the night of the European elections, he emphasized his commitment to stability and strength in leadership.
In his first post-election interview on ERT, Androulakis expressed disappointment over public statements by some executives, accusing them of diverting attention from the actual election results. He reiterated his commitment to the party’s constitution, emphasizing the need to avoid internal discord and maintain institutional order.
Upon arriving at the Central Committee meeting, Androulakis issued a warning of potential expulsions: “We will make decisions about the future of the faction. Anyone who continues the game of discord and toxicity will be left out of PASOK.” He underscored the importance of political initiatives, ideas, positions, and credibility in reorganizing the center-left.
The stage is set for a significant confrontation within PASOK, as the leadership and dissenters vie for control and direction of the party’s future.
