With the “recruitment” of MPs that it once criticized, accusing ND and SYRIZA of using this tactic, and by utilizing potential candidates and other officials in the party’s sectors, Charilaou Trikoupi is trying to put the brakes on its polling drop and the sense of concern growing within PASOK.

Yesterday, Nikos Androulakis shook hands with the independent MP from SYRIZA, Rania Thraki – and he will do the same next week with her colleague, Mr. Petros Pappas, who also left Koumoundourou and remained independent for a period.

In the coming days, the list of names that will staff the party’s sectors will be announced. Among them, according to information, will be Iraklis Droulias, a candidate for MP in Western Athens, who will take over the organizational sector; Vassilis Skountis, who will be appointed as the Sector Head for Sports; and actor Michalis Ayerakis, who will head the Culture sector. The former minister and current head of the “Diazoma” association, who supported Haris Doukas in the recent internal party elections, will lead a team to draft the charter for changes in the state. Decisions are still pending on forming the Central Organizational Committee for the Congress, with a suggestion being made to appoint MP Pavlos Christidis as its head.

This afternoon, however, the Political Center will meet under the leadership of PASOK’s head. The discussion comes at a time when PASOK is seeking a steady path and arguments for public confrontations with other parties.

The “recruitments” are a topic that not only Nikos Androulakis but also other PASOK officials had previously rejected – the current head of Political Planning, Anna Diamantopoulou, for example, when asked last November, had replied, among other things, “No, we will not accept SYRIZA MPs into PASOK.” Back in November, PASOK was seeing a rise in the polls. Today, it faces a different situation. As the party of the official opposition, it is (at least) closely watching the processes related to possible cooperation between SYRIZA and the New Left.

Complaints from SYRIZA, criticism from ND

Sokratis Famellos did not hide his displeasure with the new tactic being introduced by Mr. Androulakis with the inclusion of Rania Thraki in PASOK’s parliamentary group. Speaking about the matter from Thessaloniki, he said: “Ms. Thraki, here from our city, was elected with two main mandates from the people of Thessaloniki. One was to ensure that SYRIZA-PS remained the official opposition. The second was for the ideals of the Left and the progressive camp. Both have been violated. And at the same time, the political receiver violated them as well, who, as far as I know, had declared that they would never make such a choice, or discuss with MPs who remain independent from other parties. So, it’s an issue of political credibility. For me, it’s also an issue of ideals and values.”

Another reversal from Mr. Androulakis is seen by the spokesperson of the New Democracy Party, Nikos Romanos, who, commenting on the recruitment of the SYRIZA-elected Rania Thraki, adds: “It’s the same Nikos Androulakis and his officials, like Ms. Diamantopoulou, Mr. Tsoukalas, and Mr. Glavinas, who emphatically repeated until recently that the recruitment of elected MPs from other parties is unacceptable, not in their logic, and would not happen. It was not part of their ‘culture,’ as they assured us…” Mr. Romanos also leaves a hint regarding Ms. Diamantopoulou, from whom he expects, as he said, “her new stance regarding the ‘unacceptable’ recruitments of MPs from other parties, like today’s recruitment of Ms. Thraki into PASOK.”

The candidates in A’ Thessaloniki

The interesting aspect in the backdrop of the two recruitments in PASOK is that Ms. Thraki and Petros Pappas (who attended Mr. Androulakis’ intervention at the Thessaloniki Summit 2025 yesterday) will run in A’ Thessaloniki, where there are strong rumors that Anna Diamantopoulou will also seek a seat (if not nominated for the National List). It’s worth noting that until 2012, Ms. Diamantopoulou was an MP for A’ Athens, where Pavlos Geroulanos was elected in the last elections and where Haris Doukas is currently energetically campaigning as the Mayor of Athens.

Mr. Geroulanos, meanwhile, speaking about Ms. Thraki’s recruitment and avoiding commenting on previous statements by Mr. Androulakis and Ms. Diamantopoulou, stated on Action24 that “an independent MP can join any party they want.”

The first mini-Congress in Mytilene

Initially, Charilaou Trikoupi intended to formalize the recruitments through the Regional Congresses. The first will take place this upcoming Saturday in Mytilene, with the participation signal targeting the broader Northern Aegean community. The leadership’s goal is a broadening on both sides, and the message was captured in Mr. Androulakis’ statement during the reception of Rania Thraki into the party: “PASOK is the only force that can be the bearer of the political change our country needs. A progressive, responsible, and useful force. Our struggle will be difficult, but it will be beautiful and dignified. And I am sure that in the end, we will succeed.”