Nikos Androulakis Re-elected as Pasok Leader with Resounding Victory

08:45 14/10/2024 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

Nikos Androulakis has secured his position as the leader of the socialist Pasok party, winning the runoff election with nearly 60% of the vote, defeating Athens mayor Haris Doukas.

The final results gave Mr. Androulakis 125,820 votes, or 59.92%, while Mr. Doukas received 84,149 votes, amounting to 40.08%.

Mr. Doukas called to congratulate Mr. Androulakis even before the official

results were finalized on Sunday night.

In total, 213,001 party members and supporters participated in the vote, a turnout more than 25% lower than the first round. There were also 1,635 spoiled ballots and 1,397 blank votes. Despite the drop in turnout from the first round, participation exceeded that of the 2021 leadership race, where 207,658 people voted.

Mr. Androulakis, 45, initially led the first round of voting with 29.64%, while Mr. Doukas, 44, narrowly secured second place with 21.41%, just edging out former minister Pavlos Yeroulanos, who received 21.12%.

In his victory speech, delivered outside Pasok’s headquarters on Charilaou Trikoupi Street, Androulakis emphasized unity within the party.

"Great changes and great victories come when we are united," he told an enthusiastic crowd. "Pasok has a duty to provide hope and prospects for all Greeks, and we are here to bring the transformative changes that our society needs."

Mr. Androulakis, who has been Pasok leader since December 2021 when he decisively defeated former Prime Minister George Papandreou, now faces the task of reinvigorating the party after a challenging few years.

The leadership election was brought forward following what was seen as a disappointing result in June's European Parliament elections, where, despite making gains, Pasok failed to surpass the main opposition party, Syriza, which has been struggling with its own internal issues.

"Today, there are no winners or losers. The winner is Pasok and the democratic movement," Mr. Androulakis said. He pledged to focus the party’s energy on challenging New Democracy, the ruling conservative party, in the next elections. "A new journey begins, and united and strong, we will achieve new victories," he added.

Congratulatory messages poured in for Androulakis, including calls from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Syriza leader Stefanos Kasselakis, and former Prime Minister George Papandreou, as well as Androulakis’ rival Haris Doukas and fellow candidates Pavlos Geroulanos, Anna Diamantopoulou, Michalis Katrinis, and Nadia Giannakopoulou.

Pasok, once a dominant force in Greek politics, has struggled to regain its former influence. Under Androulakis’ leadership, the party has made gains but faces stiff competition from both New Democracy and Syriza.

As Mr. Androulakis looks toward future electoral battles, his re-election signals a commitment to uniting the party and pushing forward with renewed energy.

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