PASOK’s congress in Athens entered its second day Saturday, after opening with a carefully staged show of unity following weeks of internal tensions and public disagreements.
The congress is being held at the Olympic Taekwondo stadium in Palaio Faliro, where delegates and party supporters from across Greece packed the venue. Green and white flags, placed on seats ahead of the event, were waved throughout the opening session in a visible show of unity.
The optics followed a turbulent run-up, marked by internal disputes and the expulsion — and subsequent resignation from parliament — of Arcadia MP Odysseas Konstantinopoulos.
Against that backdrop, leader Nikos Androulakis used his opening speech to project party cohesion, reach beyond PASOK’s base and step up his attacks on the ruling New Democracy party.
A message aimed beyond PASOK’s base
From the outset, Androulakis sought to speak not only to party members but to a wider electorate he considers disillusioned with the current government.
He invoked the term “underprivileged” — a phrase closely associated with PASOK founder Andreas Papandreou — and framed his argument around the pressures that ordinary households face.
Opening of the 4th Congress of PASOK – Movement for Change, Friday, March 27, 2026, Athens, Tae Kwon Do Stadium (SOOC)
He criticized policies that, in his view, enable market concentration, weaken democratic institutions and deepen social and economic pressures on households. His appeal was directed at a broad coalition: small and medium-sized business owners, public and private sector workers, farmers, pensioners and people with disabilities. Androulakis attempted to cast the moment as a clear choice: accept rising inequality and institutional decline, or back political change.
He argued that PASOK had historically positioned Greece at the core of European integration, including securing Cyprus’ accession to the European Union despite the unresolved Cyprus issue.
On Predator-Gate, state-surveillance and public institutions
The most politically charged part of the speech focused on the wiretapping scandal, which has cast a long shadow over Greek politics.
Androulakis, who himself was among those targeted, accused the government of responsibility for what he described as a serious institutional breach. Referring to a recent court ruling, he argued that the case has now entered a new phase, with those involved exerting public pressure and exposing deeper problems.
He framed the issue not just as a political controversy but as a matter of national credibility, warning of the implications when senior state officials, including military leadership, are allegedly compromised.
In a direct appeal to public officials, he urged them to act in line with the public interest and to resist any pressure to remain silent or participate in cover-ups.
Drawing a firm line against cooperation
Androulakis also sought to remove any ambiguity over PASOK’s post-election strategy, ruling out cooperation with New Democracy in unequivocal terms.
“Anyone who believes there is a scenario of cooperation with those who organized my moral and political targeting is detached from reality,” he said.
A congress shaped by internal tensions
The strong emphasis on unity throughout Friday’s opening was hard to separate from the internal strains that preceded it.
In recent weeks, disagreements over strategy and direction spilled into public view, culminating in the expulsion of Konstantinopoulos — a move that underscored deeper divisions within the party.
Friday’s imagery — packed stands, coordinated visuals and enthusiastic participation — suggested a conscious effort by the leadership to reset the narrative and present a unified front.
Opening of the 4th Congress of PASOK – Movement for Change, Friday, March 27, 2026, Athens, Tae Kwon Do Stadium
Even the production of the event, with extensive camera coverage, drones and large LED displays, pointed to a party trying to modernize its image and project momentum.
What’s next: debates, heavyweights and key votes
The congress continues Saturday with a series of thematic discussions covering constitutional reform, defense and foreign policy, diaspora issues, labor rights and social policy, as well as PASOK’s strategy for potential alliances ahead of elections.
Two of the party’s most prominent former leaders, George Papandreou and Evangelos Venizelos, are expected to speak, with particular attention on whether they will weigh in on the surveillance scandal.
Delegates will also examine three key texts: a revised declaration — to be rebranded as a “national strategy” document — the party’s program, and proposed constitutional changes to its internal structure.
The proceedings will conclude Sunday with votes to elect members of PASOK’s Central Political Committee and regional bodies, a process that will help shape the party’s leadership and direction heading into the next electoral cycle.
