Movement of Democratic Socialists

It is a tactical and long-term strategic error for a former prime minister to create a new, inevitably small party simply because he wants to express the clarity of his views, and this not only concerns Antonis Samaras, who was recently expelled from the ruling conservatives for questioning the government's policies.

Former socialist prime minister George Papandreou has brushed off speculation that he intends to join a SYRIZA-led alliance ahead of elections later this year.

In a statement Tuesday, Papandreou dismissed the speculation saying it was part of "political machinations…  aimed at serving self-interested objectives."

Greece's new center-left grouping, Movement for Change, has unveiled its political council, which is the first element of the new party's structure and its key decision-making body.

Up to eight candidates may be vying for the leadership of Greece's new center-left party in elections slated for October, after Mimis Androulakis, an outspoken PASOK euro MP and author, suggested on Friday that he will run for the post.

Former Prime Minister George Papandreou hit out on Tuesday at his predecessor Costas Karamanlis a day after the latter appeared at an event in Athens where a report was presented suggesting that the New Democracy government that came to power in 2004 inherited a troubled economy.

Former Socialist prime minister George Papandreou and Fofi Gennimata, the leader of Democratic Alignment (the new name for PASOK), on Thursday announced that they were joining forces.

SYRIZA

Fofi Gennimata took over as the first female leader in PASOK?s history on Monday after comfortably seeing off her two male competitors to secure the presidency of the beleaguered Socialist party.

Up to 70,000 PASOK supporters are expect to vote Sunday in the party?s leadership race, which is being contested by three candidates.

Leftist SYRIZA party is to win 149 out of 300 seats in Greece's Parliament following early elections held Sunday, two seats short of a majority, according to official results cited by Greek news websites.

The figures show a total of seven parties have made it into Parliament, though this has to be confirmed by the electoral commission of Greece.