PASOK leadership election

Losses for all parties except “Greek Solution” and “Nike”, with “PASOK” experiencing dissatisfaction

Loverdos came in third

By George Gilson

Greece's main opposition party, which is polled to win the next general election, has doused speculation that it plans to propose former socialist prime minister Costas Simitis or ex PASOK chief Evangelos Venizelos as President of Greece.

Speaking on Skai radio on Thursday, New Democracy spokesperson Maria Spyraki said both scenarios were "out of the question."
 

The first round of voting this coming Sunday to elect a leader for the "new center-left party" - as everyone is calling the coalition that will emerge from the process - is basically the first step in an effort to glue back together all the different pieces that resulted from the fragmentation of the socialist PASOK party.

Up to 70,000 PASOK supporters are expect to vote Sunday in the party?s leadership race, which is being contested by three candidates.

Veteran politician and past minister Evangelos Venizelos bid “adieu” to the post of president of socialist PASOK over the weekend, opening the way for a party leader election. However, the sharp-tongued Venizelos said he wasn’t leaving politics.

PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos on Saturday announced his departure from the Socialist party but not from politics, setting the ball in motion for the election this Sunday of a new party chief.

PASOK launched its 10th congress on Friday, which will pave the way for current leader Evangelos Venizelos to step down and a leadership vote to take place next Sunday.

PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos confirmed in a TV interview late on Monday that he intends to step down from the party?s presidency next month.

?My term will end at the party congress,? he said in reference to the gathering planned for June 5 to 7.

The leadership vote is due to take place on June 14.