A missed opportunity for leadership renewal in Pasok

09:43 9/10/2024 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

Many voters who hoped for a leadership renewal in Pasok -particularly supporters of Mr. Anna Diamantopoulou and Mr. Pavlos Geroulanos- were left deeply disappointed.

Some even bid farewell to the party, expressing their discontent with recent developments. In the first round of voting, candidates representing the more dynamic segments of urban

areas, like Mr. Geroulanos and Ms. Diamantopoulou, were eliminated, sharing a combined 40.64% of the vote while competing for the same voter base.

The results revealed that the so-called "Pasok of the provinces" had the upper hand, with Mr. Nikos Androulakis prevailing in rural areas thanks to the extensive networks he had built over the years.

In stark contrast, Mr. Androulakis's performance in Attica, especially in Athens, was disappointing, mirroring the outcome of the last national elections.

Similarly, Mr. Haris Doukas, who garnered support from rural agricultural unions, faced significant backlash from residents of the capital, even after being recently elected mayor of Athens. Despite being touted as a new face in the center-left, Mr. Doukas failed to secure a first-round victory and narrowly avoided losing second place to Mr. Geroulanos.

This leaves him vulnerable heading into the second round, as Pasok members in Athens have accused him of excessive ambition and a lack of substantial achievements in the city. While he claims that 70% of voters desire a leadership change, his 21.4% in the first round does not assure him of victory in the second.

The pressing question is whether this "Pasok of the provinces" still has a window of opportunity, or if hope has evaporated for good. In my view, nothing has been definitively decided.

First, the electoral process has demonstrated that Pasok still possesses strong and capable members who maintain deep roots in Greek society. Unlike Syriza, Pasok operates with a sense of political civility, democratic values, and institutional processes.

The significant turnout and intense public interest in last Sunday's vote indicate that Pasok is increasingly viewed as a potential alternative to the ruling New Democracy party, whereas Syriza has devolved into a soap opera, losing any semblance of governance.

Secondly, after facing skepticism and narrowly securing a win in the first round, Mr. Androulakis now has strong motivation to change, as he finds himself in a new internal party landscape.

Not only did he fail to exceed 30% of the vote, receiving 89,288 votes—a drop of 7.24% and 9,832 fewer votes compared to 2021—but he now faces two formidable challengers with substantial support who will likely seek influential roles within the party.

Mr. Androulakis can no longer govern with an insular approach or rely solely on his inner circle. All party members, even the disappointed ones, are waiting to hear how he plans to collaborate and reshape Pasok's message to grow the party.

The shallow "anti-Mitsotakis" rhetoric and leftist posturing have reached their limits. His ability to engage with the broader centrist camp, representing the "front of reason," will determine whether he can revitalize Pasok.

In a serious party, no one can govern entirely alone, nor can anyone demand to co-govern from the sidelines.

Ultimately, this "Pasok of the provinces" has one more chance to embrace modernization and engage urban centers, as demanded by 40% of last Sunday's voters.

So far, every time Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis has challenged Mr. Androulakis with significant progressive reforms—such as private universities, same-sex marriage, or postal voting—Mr. Androulakis has displayed an inexplicable aversion, retreating with Syriza-like reflexes.

However, a vast audience -the so-called silent majority of the center- remains poised and waiting.

Μετάφραση: ANTHEE CARASSAVA

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