PASOK leader to request party discipline on private universities

The decision by socialist PASOK head Nikos Androulakis on Tuesday to make the party's members of parliament vote against a bill allowing for the operation of private universities in Greece has stirred tensions among party lawmakers.

Androulakis said that PASOK has always maintained a positive attitude towards the founding of non-state, non-profit universities but only through the revision of Article 16 of the constitution and not through the government bill that bypasses the law.

During a meeting of the party's parliamentary group Androulakis announced that he "will not a allow a rift in voting."

"PASOK wants strong public sector universities, but also strong non-state, non-profit universities, as well as major reforms concerning post-high school education. Mr. [Prime Minister Kyriakos] Mitsotakis is aided by the absence of a counter-proposal. We, however, have...