Nikos Androulakis

The six PASOK leadership candidates presented their positions, political priorities, and their programmatic plan for the “next day” in the Melina Mercouri Hall at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

The Ethics, Statutes, and Certification Committee (EDEKAP) of PASOK-Movement for Change completed the required review of signatures submitted for the nomination of presidential candidates on Wednesday, 11/09/2024.

The deadline for submitting the required signatures by PASOK leadership candidates is tonight at 9 PM. The Ethics Committee will review the lists and determine which candidates meet the necessary criteria.

Nominations for the leadership of PASOK will close on Monday, a month ahead of the October 6 election.

The seven contenders for the leadership must submit at least 5,000 signatures from party members or the signatures of 15% of central committee members.

With ruling New Democracy emitting a sense of fatigue and registering a significant drop in the polls - the result of wrong political choices but also of the arrogant behavior of some of its officials - and SYRIZA experiencing never-ending self-destructive infighting and sinking into an existential rut, PASOK is celebrating its 50th anniversary at a crucial time for its and the country's future

Opposition party PASOK will hold two debates as part of its leadership contest.

Party spokesman Thanasis Glavinas said the debates will take place "both before the first round and before the second round of the internal party elections."

Anna Diamantopoulou, former European Commissioner for Social Affairs and minister, called on Wednesday for a live televised debate between the candidates in PASOK's upcoming leadership election.

Diamantopoulou, 65, said she had formally requested the socialist party's ethics committee to clarify why a date for the debate had not yet been set.

During the event, the three former leaders, founding members, younger generation representatives, the current leader, and the other presidential candidates emphasized that PASOK is returning stronger in opposition, aiming to regain governmental influence in the future.

The consensus that PASOK must once again play a leading role in Greece's center-left defined Tuesday evening's event at the Zappeion commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the socialist party. This sentiment, however, was expressed in varying tones and with different references to history.

A poll released on Tuesday showed the ruling New Democracy (ND) maintaining a strong lead over the main opposition parties SYRIZA and PASOK.