As the 4th Regular Congress of PASOK-Kinal commences on Friday in Athens, party leader Nikos Androulakis faces a high-stakes balancing act. While the congress aims to serve as a springboard for a “victorious pre-election path,” it does so against a backdrop of stagnant poll numbers and persistent pressure from the governing New Democracy (ND).
Despite a highly successful internal voting process—where 175,000 members participated, PASOK has struggled to break out of the “low teens” in national opinion polls, consistently hovering between 11% and 13%. In contrast, Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ New Democracy maintains a dominant lead of around 30%.
However, with current projections suggesting ND may fall short of an absolute majority in the 2027 elections, the officials from the governing party are increasingly signaling that PASOK may become a governing partner, a scenario that is being dismissed by the socialist party founded by Andreas Papandreou.
Strategic defiance: “The third way”
In his opening “manifesto for political change,” Androulakis is expected to double down on a policy of strategic autonomy. Party insiders confirm that the leader will explicitly rule out a “rescue coalition” with New Democracy.
The PASOK strategy rests on three key pillars to overcome its polling ceiling:
Androulakis will argue that Mitsotakis’ “reformist” image is a thin veil for clientelism, utilizing the recent Predator spyware scandal and the Tempi rail tragedy to paint the government as institutionally weak.
By calling for a “social awakening,” the party aims to reclaim the middle ground and the “disappointed center-left” voters who have abandoned SYRIZA but remain wary of the Right. To avoid being swallowed by a larger partner—as happened during the crisis years—Androulakis is positioning PASOK not as a “spare tire” for ND, but as the primary driver of a “progressive alternative” government.
PASOK: A battle for survival and scale
The election of the new Central Political Committee this Sunday will be the first test of this strategy. For Androulakis, the goal is to transform 175,000 internal votes into a broader national movement. The message to the electorate is clear: PASOK is not looking to join the government; it is looking to replace it.
By ruling out a partnership with Mitsotakis, Androulakis is betting that voters seeking change will eventually see PASOK as the only viable, non-chaotic alternative to the status quo.
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