The recent general elections saw the former government partners New Democracy and PASOK suffer a major defeat and both party leaders are now faced with internal problems.
PASOK president Evangelos Venizelos recently announced that he would not be running for the party’s leadership in the upcoming party conference, where party members are to discuss the reasons of their elector defeat. Later this week the party’s political council will convene to decide upon the particulars for the formation of a central committee that will arrange the party conference.
Nevertheless, Mr. Venizelos will preside over the first session of PASOK’s Parliamentary Group since the elections on Wednesday, where he will describe his plans for the party. Mr. Venizelos will argue that the next few days will be critical for the country’s future, as the new government begins negotiations.
Meanwhile, in New Democracy there has been great tension over the past few days, as the effects of the electoral defeat become more prominent and party leader Antonis Samaras is trying to earn more time. The defeat has caused a fragmentation within the party, although the various groups agree that a chance is necessary.
So far the party has not managed to adapt to its new role as the main opposition, while the conflicting opinions regarding New Democracy’s electoral defeat further support the possibility of the fragmentation further increasing. Although there has been some hesitation, certain party members have begun vocalizing their discontent with Mr. Samaras’ overall leadership and strategy.
Former MP Yannis Varvitsiotis recently commented that New Democracy is “bastardized” and stressed the need for younger people to take initiatives within the party, following the “painful defeat” in the elections. The president of the ND-allied union DAKE Nikos Kioutsoukis openly asked for a change of leadership. ND MEP Giorgos Kyrtsos blamed former PM and party leader Kostas Karamanlis for the Greek default, further fueling the internal strife.
