The battle for PASOK’s leadership is escalating into open conflict, with four out of six candidates vying to secure a spot in the second round. Despite most polls showing Nikos Androulakis in the lead, his rivals remind the public of the 2021 party elections, where polls favoured Loverdos, who ultimately finished third.
Currently, the “armies” of Androulakis and Charis Doukas are clashing the most, but after the recent debate, the race has become even more unpredictable.
Doukas, Pavlos Geroulanos, and Anna Diamantopoulou are all hoping to face Androulakis in the second round.
However, recent rolling polls indicate that all four candidates have significant chances of securing the final ticket to the October 13 showdown.
Betting companies favour Androulakis and Doukas, with Geroulanos and Diamantopoulou considered outsiders, though not far behind.
As the October 6 voting date approaches, tensions within PASOK are rising. Charis Doukas has even claimed that he is facing a “character assassination” campaign led by Androulakis’ allies.
The key factor: Voter turnout
A critical unknown in this election is voter turnout. In the last internal election of 2021, 270,000 members voted. However, Androulakis’ opponents are aiming for 400,000 voters this time, which could significantly shift the party’s landscape.
Both Doukas and Diamantopoulou are seeking support from new voters who did not vote for PASOK in national or European elections. Doukas is targeting left-wing voters with his rhetoric, while Diamantopoulou is appealing to centrist and center-right voters with her programmatic statements. A surge in voter turnout could alter the poll results, especially since Androulakis’ support base comes largely from 2021 voters.
Meanwhile, the recent debate did not produce a clear winner but revealed potential alliances for the second round.
Androulakis directly attacked Doukas, calling him neither “Mitterrand nor Erdoğan” in an effort to weaken his rival’s ambitions. Androulakis has held a consistent lead since early September, but his opponents have criticised him for the party’s poor performance in the European elections, particularly in regions where Doukas, Geroulanos, and Giannakopoulou were active.
Androulakis, aiming for re-election, is now considering alliances, with his team anticipating a likely showdown with Doukas rather than Geroulanos or Diamantopoulou.
As the party’s internal polls continue to shift, the October 13 final round promises to be a fierce contest.
