With the belief that the momentum is now for PASOK, Nadia Giannakopoulou, the party’s leadership candidate, has made “clear positions” and contemporary discourse her “flag” for the emergence of a convincing governance proposal.
From West Athens, where she was elected, she started and continues her tours around Greece, considering that it is a “historic opportunity” for PASOK to reverse the correlations: “with a New Democracy deteriorating, unable to solve citizens’ problems and promote mature and necessary reforms, and a SYRIZA in an unstoppable downward spiral.”
Ms Giannakopoulou began sending messages that it was the wrong path to claim second place in the European elections months before they were due to take place, clearly expressing disagreements and proposals. She is, she says, in favor of the view that “parties do not move forward with silence in a cemetery”, but with an exchange of different views and a constant effort to synthesize. This is why he reacts and strongly responds to the references to barons in PASOK by Nikos Androulakis, stating however that he has nothing personal with him. He insists on clarifying it though: “In PASOK we do not have barons who oversee someone, nor do we have kings . The elections do not hide a conspiracy”. He does not accept that elections were granted by anyone but that the internal party polls were imposed by the anxiety to seek the reasons for not winning second place and not significantly increasing their percentages when ND and SYRIZA were losing 1,350,000 votes.
In her interview with protothema.gr, Ms. Giannakopoulou declares herself a realist, “with bold momentum and stubbornness”, arguing that her candidacy has a distinct identity, rejecting “blind appointments in theoretical partnerships for which there are no elementary political, programmatic preconditions”. She also wonders “How can some people from PASOK possibly discuss and propose cooperation or alliance with SYRIZA, which is falling, disintegrating, and in vertigo, or even with New Left which is struggling for survival.” For her, PASOK itself can and must become “the pole of Social Democracy, the center-left and Reforms” and thus win the next parliamentary elections.
Despite her sharp speech, she is very careful when referring to her fellow candidates; and although she comes fifth or sixth in the polls, she insists on repeating that she also enters the debate with the … logic that she can get through to the second round, because “there are rarely polls that don’t hold surprises!” This is what her family believes, including her husband and well-known actor, Maximos Moomouris who, in another “role”, that of advisor and organizational partner, accompanies her in almost all her public appearances and tours around Greece.
The PASOK leadership candidate opens her cards, takes a position on the election to the Presidency of the Republic, does not rule out early national elections and outlines the way she believes PASOK will be able to cut the cord first. And as usual in her interview, she answers questions without evasion.
The whole interview with Nadiya Giannakopoulou in protothema.gr
Kyria Giannakopoulou A few days ago Mr. Androulakis spoke of barons and a parade of candidates for leadership in PASOK. Did he touch you personally? Why?
Of course, it affected me, as I imagine it affected all the candidates and executives with a great contribution to the party. However, the major issue is political, because the attribution of self-interested motives to political acts, which only do nothing but democratically give the organs and members of the Movement a voice, conceals within it the distorted notion that the Party exists for the leadership and not the leadership for the Party. It is not so. In PASOK there are neither Rulers nor Barons and certainly, those of us who have stepped forward to this new starting point are not there to parade our candidacy on a “catwalk”. On the contrary, we are expressing the anguish of the huge social majority of more than 2 million citizens who, although they have turned their backs en masse on New Democracy and SYRIZA, nevertheless did not feel that PASOK, as it is today, can represent the needs of their everyday life and their expectations for the future. That is why we have to change ourselves, not the voters. In this context, the coming elections are not a concession or a favor – as they have been roughly characterized – but essentially the cradle of our party’s rebirth.
It is a fact, however, that the current leadership was challenged as soon as the polls closed in the European elections. And by you. First of all, let me ask you: what were the reasons why, in your opinion, PASOK missed the declared goal of second place?
The truth is that for this intervention I was and still am being targeted. I would like to remind you, however, that there was no bolt from the blue, as months ago I was sending out a message of anguish about the drop in PASOK’s poll ratings, which had begun to become apparent as early as the first quarter of the year. At a time when Androulakis himself was stating that the goal was second place and that failure to achieve it would be a failure for PASOK.
And indeed, this goal was at the time entirely achievable as by the end of 2023 PASOK was consistently appearing second in almost all polls, with percentages of around 16%. Unfortunately, however, our boastful stance on important issues such as the Postal Vote and Non-State Non-Profit Universities clouded our stigma, pushing away at least 3% of our potential voters and giving SYRIZA time to regroup and increase its numbers.
It is therefore clear that the main cause of the decline is none other than our lack of a clear viewpoint and our distancing ourselves from the forces of the Centre and Reform.
Let’s have clear positions and clear words. Are you suggesting that you have failed to send a clear message as well?
Obviously. Our positions were unclear on many points. We often gave the impression of tactics and heterodoxy. Perhaps because in the end, the illusion prevailed that by emulating SYRIZA we would also distract its voters, which however did not seem to happen on a significant scale in the parliamentary elections. On the contrary, this attitude hurt our image, as it shed our governmental characteristics in favor of a protest party image.+
You made the decision to run for leadership – with what primary motivation?
PASOK is facing a great historic opportunity. On the one hand, New Democracy seems to have entered an irreversible course of governmental attrition. Its delays, sloppiness, fragmentation and lack of an integrated concept and strategy show that it has now reached its management and reform limits. SYRIZA, on the other hand, is essentially in a state of disintegration and disintegration. Therefore, PASOK now has every opportunity, by changing itself, formulating clear proposals and shaping a modern alternative proposal for governance, to address a huge national body from the fringes of New Democracy to Syriza and to reverse the correlations. To be essentially the party that will express the hope and the need for change and win the parliamentary elections that will take place in two and a half years at the most.
My candidacy therefore falls within this framework and its motivation is related to seizing the historic opportunity and shaping the conditions for PASOK to be able to transform contemporary social needs into a new government programme.
In what way is your candidacy different from the others?
I would say that in some ways it is the common thread of the positive elements that my fellow candidates bring together. My overall and clear understanding of the orientation of PASOK and the country, my technocratic competence and realism, my political empathy and vision, my communication skills and contact with citizens, but also my personal characteristics of boldness, drive and stubbornness, I think, give my candidacy a special identity.
In the polls, however, you are hovering between fifth and sixth place. If you don’t make the second round race, have you already decided which candidate you will support?
I’m fighting the battle to be in the second round and all the messages I’m getting from my contact with the community are very warm, very encouraging. I am therefore accelerating the pace of my efforts, with my mind and all my energies focused on the ballot box on October 6. You know, there are rarely ballot boxes that don’t hold surprises!
Do you exchange views with other candidates during the campaign? Who or who would you make good company with?
Most of them we have talked to and exchanged views with in the past. But as you can see, this period has such characteristics and needs that we have no time to go home. So where is the time for discussions between us! I want to tell you in all honesty, however, that I like and appreciate everyone without exception. I’d be happy to hang out with them. What is certain is that I can consult and seek compositions with all of them.
Have you so far been harshly critical of Nikos Androulakis; if he is re-elected, will your party have lost for you one of its last chances?
First of all, let me tell you that I have nothing personal with Mr Androulakis. And I don’t think he didn’t try and didn’t work. But I do think that mistakes were made and that he worked somewhere in the wrong way and in the wrong direction. I am also in favour of the principle that the parties do not proceed in silence, but with an exchange of different views and a constant effort to synthesise. Parties should be willing to be self-critical and identify mistakes, even if it is a source of tension. This is the matrix that made PASOK great and this has been the basis for its long and strong presence.
If Mr Androulakis wins, he will win because thousands of progressive citizens chose him and we should all respect that.
This is not the first time that extra-parliamentary members of PASOK have contested the leadership of PASOK. But it is the first time that a mayor, especially of Athens, has claimed the leadership. Do you agree with the choice of Mr Doukas to run and retain his mayoral duties?
Look. I don’t believe one can have two watermelons under the same armpit. That is my pure opinion. However, I do not claim the right to be the judge of everything. This is also one of the issues that will be judged by the thousands of citizens who go to the polls.
Does your “clear position” include not working with other parties?
I do not believe in blind appointments, in theoretical collaborations for which there are no elementary political and programmatic preconditions. But I am also a realist and I honestly do not understand how some people from PASOK can discuss and propose cooperation or alliance with a Syriza that is retreating, disintegrating and in political vertigo or even the New Left that is struggling for survival. This debate is disorienting and hurting PASOK. PASOK itself can and must become the pole of Social Democracy, the Centre Left and Reforms. As it has always been.
The next day will PASOK be able to accommodate members of SYRIZA or even ND?
The next day PASOK must rally and express a wide range of forces from the fringes of New Democracy to SYRIZA. To open its ranks to thousands of progressive citizens, always on the basis of its programme, principles and values. This certainly does not apply to those who left PASOK and rushed to SYRIZA or New Democracy in order to secure positions and offices, even taking the lead in smearing us.
Can PASOK, after the course and fluctuations of the last few years, expect to achieve firsts and return to a governmental orbit?
This is exactly what citizens who will go to the polls to elect the Movement’s president on October 6 are being asked to answer. This electorate, through the process we have opened up with our initiatives, is not only charged with the responsibility of deciding whether PASOK can get back into government, but also to indicate the time and manner in which this will happen. For each presidential candidate does not simply express a different leadership persona, but a roadmap for the future of the party, a comprehensive plan for success.
Do you think Mitsotakis will exhaust his four-year term?
Do you think that the party will be able to sustain the four-year term?
He claims so, but I am not particularly convinced. I am not saying he is lying, indeed he may indeed think that, that is what he wants. I am speaking politically. New Democracy is no longer the party of 41% but of 28%, it is wearing out every day, society is reacting more and more and seems to be looking for a CHANGE, it is starting to have internal problems that are manifesting themselves more and more openly. These are elements of a difficult landscape for Mitsotakis that may force him to call early elections. That is why it is crucial for PASOK not to waste time and to prepare for every possible development after the election of the president.
PASOK ahead of the election of the President of the Republic: what characteristics should the candidate have?
I believe that there should be a bipartisan consensus on a person of broad acceptance, whether he or she comes from the political sphere or not. The President of the Republic should be a person of repute and certainly should bring together progressive characteristics. It would be a big mistake for Mitsotakis to attempt to use the new provision for election with only 151 votes, giving a message of instrumentalization of the relevant process.
Your father and sister play a critical role in your office, and your husband, despite his demanding duties as an actor, also “runs” with you on tours. Were you prompted to enter the race?
I’m one of those people who believe strongly in the role of family. In every step I have taken so far in my journey, I have always asked for their opinion and I have always known that they would give their heart and soul to support my endeavour. This is still the case now in this top battle I am fighting.
You believe the debate will ultimately play a decisive role and influence people’s vote. You are approaching it with what goal in mind?
It will definitely play a role. Thousands of citizens will have the opportunity to listen to us develop our positions and proposals, but also, I believe, to perceive our difference in the way we approach the issues of PASOK’s orientation and, above all, the way we address the problems of society and the country. They will judge us and compare us. It will be an important process. I am coming with the aim of presenting my ideas and my plan for the next day of PASOK and the country in a clear way and I am sure that the citizens will see the reasons why they should vote for my candidacy.
