PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis told a rally in Heraklion, Crete, that Greek voters do not owe another chance to New Democracy or SYRIZA.
Addressing supporters in Eleftherias Square on September 3 to mark the 52nd anniversary of the party's founding declaration, Androulakis declared that Greece cannot endure another lost opportunity under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and called for political change across the nation.
Androulakis described the gathering in Crete as an overwhelming turnout, stating that the movement was picking up the thread of history once again. He celebrated 52 years of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, known as PASOK, describing it as the political force that transformed modern Greece and restored national dignity after its founding in September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou following the fall of the military dictatorship.
Paying tribute to the voters of Crete for painting the political map green during the previous national elections, Androulakis said that the island had served as the starting point for an electoral victory that would grow into a broader wave of political overturn in the next national elections. He urged citizens to decide whether they would remain passive spectators while unprogrammed political parties create rifts and oligarch-backed groups rule, or join together to support PASOK and the democratic alignment.
The PASOK president stressed that it is time for his generation to take responsibility at the ballot box, issuing a direct appeal to voters across all demographics to rally behind the party in the upcoming election campaign.
Criticism of Kyriakos Mitsotakis
In a direct critique of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Androulakis accused the government of failing to deliver on its core promises. Mitsotakis was elected in July 2019 on a commitment to restore stability and normal order to Greece following the administration led by Alexis Tsipras and Panos Kammenos. However, Androulakis argued that the Prime Minister instead constructed one of the most centralized and corrupt systems of power in the country's modern political history.
Addressing discussions regarding a potential third governing term for New Democracy and the Prime Minister's declared intention to clash with the deep state, Androulakis stated that the government has no excuse for failing to take responsibility. He warned that if Mitsotakis does not confront systemic failures himself, the Greek electorate will enforce accountability through their votes.
Foreign Policy and Greco-Turkish Relations
Turning to foreign policy, Androulakis asserted that Greece cannot afford illusions in its international relations. He sharpened his criticism of government claims regarding calm waters between Greece and Turkey, pointing out that after years of official rhetoric promising stability, the situation in the Aegean has degenerated into rough seas.
Androulakis stressed that foreign policy must be evaluated strictly by tangible results rather than government assurances, noting that the promised calm waters have disappeared. He called directly on Mitsotakis to demand that the European Council impose formal sanctions against Turkey for its actions in the region.
Outlining PASOK's stance toward Ankara, Androulakis stated that the party's message to Turkey remains clear. He emphasized that Greece desires good neighborly relations, but insisted that any rapprochement is strictly conditional upon full respect for International Law.
Attack on Alexis Tsipras and SYRIZA
Androulakis also launched a detailed attack against former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras following Tsipras's political comeback and the presentation of the Greek Left economic platform in Thessaloniki. Characterizing Tsipras as the former co-governor of Right-wing leader Panos Kammenos, Androulakis stated that the SYRIZA leader had previously branded reckless political adventurism as a historic rift, creating a political program identified with deception and untrustworthiness.
The PASOK leader criticized the economic record of the previous SYRIZA-ANEL coalition, accusing the former administration of handing over Greek public property to foreign creditors for a century under bailout agreements. He also highlighted Tsipras's shifting stance on Greece's Golden Visa program, which grants residence permits to foreign investors. Androulakis noted that while Tsipras publicly advocated abolishing Golden Visas in June, his new proposals seek to maintain the scheme in order to collect one billion euros for state coffers.
Rejecting Tsipras's economic announcements in Thessaloniki, Androulakis declared that Greece requires neither managers of national decline, nor corrupt administrative systems, nor self-proclaimed political Messiahs. He asserted that past leaders had used the anxieties and economic dead ends of the Greek public to seize power through false promises, and declared that voters owe them no further chances for second or third terms.
Economic Priorities and Social Reform
Framing the choice ahead for the country, Androulakis stated that the true political dilemma facing voters is not a choice between political conservation and recycling failed choices from the past. Instead, he presented the election as a contest between a failed administrative system and a credible plan for national renewal.
As part of PASOK's economic program, Androulakis announced that a central priority for a future government would be the reintroduction of the 13th month salary and 13th month pension bonus for Greek workers and retirees. The traditional annual bonus payments had been eliminated during the austerity measures mandated by international lenders during the Greek debt crisis.
Democratic Alignment and Historical Legacy
Reflecting on the historical principles of the democratic alignment, Androulakis defined democracy as extending beyond the basic right to vote at the ballot box. He argued that genuine democracy guarantees citizens access to quality education, robust public healthcare, and meaningful employment opportunities within their home country.
He linked these social principles to the historic reforms enacted after the 1981 national election, when PASOK under Andreas Papandreou first came to power in Greece. Androulakis pointed to the legacy of democratic alignment governments, which built modern public infrastructure, established a strong international role for Greece, and successfully achieved the accession of Cyprus into the European Union in 2004 despite the ongoing unresolved status of the Cyprus problem.
Challenging New Democracy and conservative politicians to compare their social achievements against PASOK's legislative record, Androulakis concluded by addressing the party's future role in a challenging political landscape. He declared that it is not enough for party members to simply inherit a proud political history, asserting that PASOK has a solemn duty to express its foundational principles and values while honoring the struggles of previous generations.
