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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-09-18Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Leadership issue arises in PASOKMain opposition PASOK's high-ranking political council will meet Thursday in Athens to discuss what was billed as "the course of the movement (the party) from here on", it was announced on Tuesday, two days after the party was defeated in the Sept. 16 election -- a development that has generated a showdown for the socialist party's leadership between PASOK president George Papandreou and Thessaloniki-area deputy Evangelos Venizelos.Meanwhile, Venizelos on Tuesday said he wanted the party to be "rebuilt", its links to Greek society restored and for it to once again form a "majority movement". Having widely indicated since late Sunday evening that he intends to challenge Papandreou for the party's leadership after PASOK's election defeat, Venizelos also denied that he was just after the party's leadership, stressing that his goal was for the party to become "unified, solid and optimistic". "I do not seek a position occupied by Mr. Papandreou. Both of us, as comrades, jointly, are fighting for the good of the party. We, therefore, want to use this opportunity to once again become close with the people, to bring society into PASOK and to put PASOK back in society," Venizelos said. He also claimed that the present majority enjoyed by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and the re-elected New Democracy party was "false, artificial and still-born". Venizelos said he backed calls for a party election for the PASOK's leadership as soon as possible, following a meeting of PASOK's national council. Replying to speculation that PASOK's leadership may have been "undermined from within", Venizelos stressed that this was something that remained to be judged: "Who has contributed to the standing and clearness of PASOK, and who has, unwittingly, reduced its appeal is an issue we will judge," Venizelos said, adding that Papandreou "fought with all his strength" for victory. Caption: An undated photo shows an external view of main opposition PASOK party's downtown Athens headquarters. ANA-MPA / STR Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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