Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and Health Minister Andreas Loverdos joined their political forces. Two high ranking Socialist PASOK officials will challenge party leader and ex PM George Papandreou first place in the leadership of the parliamentary group. Consequently in the leadership of the socialist party.
We decided to struggle together” said Loverdos stressing that the two can guarantee the unity of PASOK. “We can walk together. Papademos government has to be supported. Unity will cover the lack of leadership.”
With Papandreou having ‘relaxed’ over his parliamentary duties after he stepped down as prime minister in November 2011, PASOK deputies follow their own ways when it comes to vote bill at the Greek parliament. 60 PASOK deputies down-voted last week the Health Minister’s bill about extending the opening hours of pharmacies. the party definitely needs a new chairman who will implement party discipline.
Loverdos – Venizelos after the press conference
Speaking at a joint press conference Venizelos underlined the necessity for unity within the government and its coalition partners. “The PSI deal must be reached until February 13th. That is in the next days we have to perform a giant effort to close the open fronts in economy. Persons and Parties, we have to take but also to share responsibilities. We support the Papademos government.” Venizelos stressed that the party has suffered unprecedented damages.
In recent surveys PASOK seems to have lost its position, in some surveyes it holds the 7th even the 5th position.
Andreas Loverdos was considered a Papandreou-challenger for the party leadership. Venizelos had openly challenged Papandreou after PASOK lost the parliamentary elections of 2oo4. Now that Loverdos joined the Venizelos front, he will most likely be kind of …deputy-leader when PASOK decides to change its leader.
As there uis quite a number of aspiring successors of Papandreou within the party, many different front try to unite in order to eliminate a big number of candidates for the party leadership and strengthen their chances.
