Civil war grips PASOK over party elections

As calls within the party for leadership elections get louder, the turmoil that is threatening to upend socialist PASOK in the aftermath of the European election was on full display at Wednesday’s joint meeting of the party’s Political Council and the Parliamentary Group.

PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis avoided any reference to internal polls, again leveling accusations of toxicity against senior officials, while also reiterating the threat of expulsions to dissenters. The next high-stakes meeting of the Central Committee will be at the end of the month when, Androulakis said, a roadmap will be presented with initiatives for the way forward.

Androulakis could not duck the blows of his critics from across the spectrum of PASOK, both old and new generations, who were harshly critical, urgently calling for the launch of leadership election procedures from the grassroots in the fall.

For his part, Androulakis did take full responsibility for the election result.

This, however, was apparently not enough to quell dissent. All the more so, as it does not reverse the structurally different approach between the leadership team, which considers the election result not to be a defeat as the party managed to improve its percentage, and all those who stress that PASOK is failing to take advantage of a particularly favorable situation, in which its main political rivals are being tested.

Instead, critics says, the party remains stuck in lackluster percentages, unable to regain a point of contact with broad masses of voters – a prerequisite for becoming a party of power again.

Senior cadre and historic party figure Kostas Skandalidis also took issue with Androulakis’ threat of expulsions, expressing his “disappointment.”

“If you cannot guarantee the functioning of the party, democracy and dialogue, you should go ahead with the necessary procedures to elect leadership from the grassroots,” he urged Androulakis.

Source: ekathimerini.com//Dora Antoniou