A proposal to hold a debate was made by PASOK – Movement for Change presidential candidate, Charis Doukas, addressing state-run ERT television.

In a post on social media, Doukas said he had already contacted ERT’s management asking for a “lively and productive dialogue” between him and Nikos Androulakis.

“I have just contacted ERT management and asked for a debate to be held. It is important to have a lively and productive dialogue on the future of PASOK – Movement for Change and the country,” Doukas said, stressing the need for an open and meaningful dialogue between the candidates.

The proposal comes ahead of the second round of PASOK’s internal elections, which are expected to determine the future of the party and its strategic course.

Nikos Androulakis and Charis Doukas will do battle next Sunday: the current leader of PASOK, as predicted in the polls, finished first but with a percentage below 30%, and the Mayor of Athens found himself losing by a few times (until he entered the second round) to Pavlos Geroulanos.

The thriller for the second place lasted several hours and was watched with bated breath by the staffs of the three candidate leaders. Androulakis regained the lead in the first round, but with about 10,000 votes less than 2021, he is eight points ahead of Charis Doukas and seven days to confirm or deny that the prevailing scenario is his comfortable or not re-election as PASOK leader.

The Charis Doukas was seen to be in danger from Pavlos Geroulanos because of his poor performance in his “headquarters” in Athens and in the wider region of Attica, while now he can only hope for a new last-minute “turnaround”, since he aspires to attract a large part of the 70% of voters who chose in the first round the “opposite” candidates from Nikos Androulakis.

All eyes are de facto on the possible debate between the two, as Androulakis and Dukas had declared from the first round in favour of organising a televised debate for the resulting duo. What is certain is that the other four candidates who were left out of the second round will not take a clear position in favour of one or the other.

They proved it with their statements late last night, also letting it be known that they expect the two duelists to maintain a climate of unity and political culture with their stance.