Five MPs enter PASOK’s leadership race in election countdown

PASOK lawmakers Milena Apostolaki and Michalis Katrinis on Monday added their names to the other three MPs who announced they would run for party leader in the election scheduled for October 6 this year.

“I am putting all my efforts as a candidate for the leadership,” Apostolaki said. “The country needs political change. PASOK can become its agent of progress again, and this must be our goal. This will be my goal, as I pointed out at the Central Committee meeting, and I will fight for it.”

Katrinis said his goal is for PASOK “to respond to the mature request of progressive citizens for an alternative proposal for government. A proposal that can inspire, compose and conquer.”

The two lawmakers follow current mayor of Athens Haris Doukas and MP and former Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos who announced on Sunday they will run against incumbent PASOK president Nikos Androulakis.

Androulakis proposed that the leadership contest, originally scheduled to take place at the end of 2025, be advanced to October 6 this year. A second round will take place October 13, if no candidate obtains the absolute majority of votes. His proposal was accepted.

The turmoil in PASOK came after the socialist party’s mediocre performance in the European elections. The party maintained its position in third place behind ruling New Democracy and opposition SYRIZA getting 12.8% of the vote, but was unable to advance further.