PASOK – Movement for Change explained

PASOK – Movement for Change
Native Name:Greek, Modern (1453-);: ΠΑΣΟΚ – Κίνημα Αλλαγής
Native Name Lang:el
Abbreviation:PASOK-KINAL
President:Nikos Androulakis
Secretary:Andreas Spiropoulos
Founder:Fofi Gennimata
Founded:28 November 2017 (launch)
16–18 March 2018 (foundation)
9 May 2022
(Renaming as PASOK – Movement for Change)
Ideology:Social democracy[1]
Position:Centre-left[2]
Blank1 Title:Affiliate parties
Blank1:PASOK
KIDISO
EDEM
ΚΠΣ
Blank2 Title:Former member parties
Blank2:The River (2017–2018)
DIMAR (2017–2019)
Youth Wing:New Generation of Change Movement[3]
Predecessor:Democratic Alignment
European:Party of European Socialists
Europarl:Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
International:Socialist International
Progressive Alliance
Seats1 Title:Parliament
Seats2 Title:European Parliament
Seats3 Title:Regional governors
Seats4 Title:Regional councillors
Seats5 Title:Mayors
Country:Greece

The PASOK – Movement for Change (PASOK-KINAL; Greek, Modern (1453-);: ΠΑΣΟΚ – Κίνημα Αλλαγής|PASOK – Kínima Allagís, ΚΙΝΑΛ)[4] is a political alliance in Greece, which was founded in March 2018, initially as "Movement for Change" (Kínima Allagís), mainly affiliated with the centre-left of the political spectrum. It includes the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and Movement of Democratic Socialists (KIDISO).

History

In July 2017, PASOK leader Fofi Gennimata announced the formation of a new unified centre-left party in Greece before the end of the year.[5] In the summer of 2017, Stavros Theodorakis, leader and founder of The River also decided to participate in the creation of the alliance. After the leadership election, both PASOK–DIMAR and The River planned to continue with separate parliamentary groups until the new alliance's founding congress, scheduled for spring 2018.[6] [7] On 12 November 2017, the first round of leadership elections was held to select the new party's founding leader. Nine initial leadership candidates included Gennimata, Theodorakis, Athens mayor Giorgos Kaminis, PASOK MEP Nikos Androulakis, EDEM party leader Apostolos Pontas, academic Constantinos Gatsios, former PASOK ministers Yiannis Maniatis and Yiannis Ragousis, and Dimitris Tziotis.[8] [9] The candidates reaching the second-round election were Gennimata, with 44.5% of the vote, and Androulakis, with 25.4%.[10] [11] The run-off on 19 November was won by Gennimata, who garnered 56% of the vote.[12] [13] On 28 November 2017, “Movement for Change” (Kinima Allagis) was announced as the preliminary name of the alliance.[14] [15] On 2 December 2017, the party's six-member ruling council was announced, being composed of Gennimata, Theodorakis, Androulakis, Kaminis, DIMAR leader Thanasis Theocharopoulos and former PASOK Prime Minister George Papandreou.[16]

The alliance held its founding congress on 16–18 March in Athens. During the congress, the new logo was unveiled and the alliance's charter and policy program was approved by the overwhelming majority of members.[17] [18]

On 2 July 2018, The River left KINAL.[19] On 20 January 2019, DIMAR also left KINAL due to its position of supporting the Prespa agreement.[20] On 1 June 2019 former PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos left KINAL, accusing Gennimata of turning the Movement into "SYRIZA's tail".[21]

KINAL increased its obtained seats in the 2019 Greek legislative election compared to Democratic Alignment, becoming Greece's third-largest party and securing 22 seats in the Hellenic Parliament.[22] Following the election, KINAL positioned itself into opposition to the new Mitsotakis Government.[23]

Gennimata died on 25 October 2021 at the Evangelismos Hospital in Athens from cancer.[24]

Elections for the new leader took place in December 2021, with the main candidates being Andreas Loverdos, Nikos Androulakis, and George Papandreou. Nikos Androulakis was elected to lead the KINAL and PASOK on 12 December 2021.[25]

On 1 April 2022, Androulakis announced an internal referendum to be held on 8 May.[26] The referendum was held to decide whether to rename the alliance to "PASOK – Movement of Change" and also to change the emblem.[27] The proposal to change the emblem and name was accepted with a percentage of 95%.[28] The new emblem was unveiled two weeks later, with the traditional green sun having changed hue in a gradient from dark to lighter from left to right.[29] [30] [31]

In the 2024 EU election the party improved its showing, but remained stagnant from legislative elections and failed to fulfill its goal of reasserting itself as the official opposition. This triggered a crisis within the party, with the credibility of Nikos Androulakis’s leadership being called into question. Some in the party also floated the possibility of an alliance with Syriza in advance of the 2027 legislative elections, including Syriza MP Nikos Pappas and Athens’s PASOK mayor Haris Doukas.

Composition

The alliance is composed of the following parties:

PartyIdeologyLeader
Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK)Social democracyNikos Androulakis
Movement of Democratic Socialists (KIDISO)Social democracyGiorgos Papandreou
Union for Democratic Reform (EDEM)Social liberalismApostolos Pontas
Citizens' Movements for Social DemocracySocial democracyMihalis Halaris
Until 2019, the alliance also included the following parties:
PartyIdeologyLeader
The River (To Potami)Social liberalismStavros Theodorakis
Democratic Left (DIMAR)Democratic socialismThanasis Theocharopoulos

Election results

Hellenic Parliament

ElectionHellenic ParliamentRankGovernmentLeader
Votes%±ppSeats won+/−
2019457,5198.10%New
New
  1. 3
Fofi Gennimata
May 2023676,16611.46%+3.36
19
  1. 3
Nikos Androulakis
Jun 2023617,31511.85%+0.39
9
  1. 3

European Parliament

European Parliament
ElectionVotes%±ppSeats won+/−RankLeader
2019436,7357.7%0.3
±0
  1. 3
Fofi Gennimata
2024508,39912.8%5.1
1
  1. 3
Nikos Androulakis

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Greece. Nordsieck. Wolfram. 2019. Parties and Elections in Europe. 30 December 2020.
  2. http://www.ekathimerini.com/242730/article/ekathimerini/news/kostas-tasoulas-secures-wide-mp-support-as-new-house-president Kostas Tasoulas secures wide MP support as new House president
  3. Web site: Κίνημα Μαθητών, μία νέα αρχή. 9 August 2019 .
  4. http://www.kathimerini.gr/962724/article/epikairothta/politikh/kinal-apostaseis-apo-syriza-kai-nd-me-to-vlemma-sta-gkalop "ΚΙΝΑΛ: Αποστάσεις από ΣΥΡΙΖΑ και Ν.Δ. με το βλέμμα στα γκάλοπ"
  5. Web site: New Center-Left Party to Be Formed by December in Greece. Greece.greekreporter.com. July 2017. 13 December 2017.
  6. Web site: Theodorakis outlines road map for new center-left party. Ekathimerini.com. 13 December 2017.
  7. Web site: Center-left candidate shoots barbs after televised debate. Ekathimerini.com. 13 December 2017.
  8. Web site: Polls Opened in Greece for Leader of New Centre-Left Party. Greece.greekreporter.com. 12 November 2017. 13 December 2017.
  9. Web site: Center-left candidates brace for Sunday's leadership vote | News | ekathimerini.com. 2017-11-12. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003240/http://www.ekathimerini.com/223116/article/ekathimerini/news/center-left-candidates-brace-for-sundays-leadership-vote. 2017-11-13.
  10. Web site: Fofi Gennimata Closes in on Leadership of New Centre-Left Party in Greece. Greece.greekreporter.com. 12 November 2017. 13 December 2017.
  11. Web site: Gennimata, Androulakis head for center-left leader poll runoff . Ekathimerini.com. 13 December 2017.
  12. Web site: New Center-Left Coalition Party Elects PASOK Leader Fofi Gennimata. Greece.greekreporter.com. 20 November 2017. 13 December 2017.
  13. Web site: Gennimata elected leader of the center-left party to be created. Ekathimerini.com. 13 December 2017.
  14. Web site: Name of center-left grouping to be Movement for Change. Ekathimerini.com. 13 December 2017.
  15. News: Movement of Change: Greek Centre-Left Coalition Unveils Name . Greekreporter.com. 28 November 2017 . 13 December 2017. Ioannou . Theo .
  16. Web site: Center-left reveals members of top decision-making body. Ekathimerini.com. 13 December 2017.
  17. Web site: New center left party wraps up inaugural conference unveils new logo. Ekathimerini.com. 18 March 2018.
  18. http://balkaneu.com/new-center-left-party-founding-congress-puts-out-message-of-unity/ balkaneu.com
  19. http://www.kathimerini.gr/972649/article/epikairothta/politikh/apoxwrhsh-apo-to-potami-meta-to-diazygio-me-to-kinal "Αποχώρηση από το Ποτάμι μετά το διαζύγιο με το ΚΙΝΑΛ"
  20. https://www.cnn.gr/news/politiki/story/162588/symfonia-ton-prespon-diagrafei-theoxaropoylo-i-fofi-dialyetai-to-kinal "Συμφωνία των Πρεσπών"
  21. Web site: Venizelos quits socialist KINAL Kathimerini. www.ekathimerini.com. en. 2019-07-08.
  22. Web site: Nationwide National elections – July 2019 . 2022-07-06 . ekloges.ypes.gr.
  23. Web site: 7 July 2019 . Gennimata: KINAL will mount responsible, policy-based opposition . Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
  24. Web site: 25 October 2021 . Greek Socialist leader Gennimata dies after long illness . . English.
  25. https://greekreporter.com/2021/12/12/nikos-androulakis-elected-leader-greece-center-left/ Nikos Androulakis Elected New Leader of Greece’s Center-Left
  26. Web site: April 1, 2022 . Επίσημο: Ο Ανδρουλάκης μετονομάζει το ΚΙΝΑΛ - Εσωκομματικό δημοψήφισμα 8 Μαΐου, ποιο είναι το πιο πιθανό όνομα . March 29, 2024 . iefimerida.gr.
  27. Web site: May 6, 2022 . Εκλογές ΚΙΝΑΛ: Αυτό είναι το ψηφοδέλτιο για την αλλαγή ονόματος . March 29, 2024 . newsit.gr.
  28. Web site: May 9, 2022 . Εκλογές ΠΑΣΟΚ: 179.005 πολίτες ψήφισαν για την αλλαγή ονόματος – Το 95% επέλεξε ΠΑΣΟΚ-ΚΙΝΑΛ . March 29, 2024 . Newsbomb.gr.
  29. Web site: May 24, 2022 . ΠΑΣΟΚ-Κίνημα Αλλαγής: Αυτό είναι το νέο λογότυπο . March 29, 2024 . Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ.
  30. Web site: 2022-05-09 . PASOK, the return: Over 170K KINAL members vote for name change . Keep Talking Greece . en-US.
  31. Web site: 24 May 2022 . PASOK returns to the green sun . . English.