Battle SYRIZA – PASOK for the… reins of Greece’s Center Left

The second phase of the battle for the reins of the center-left space between SYRIZA and PASOK goes through their opposition to the New Democracy government.

One side, a few days after the election of the new leadership, emphasizes the personal interventions of Stefanos Kasselakis, investing in his personal promotion: he himself “shows”, with his posts, the argument of criticism from the official opposition, using the platform he garnered in the internal party elections.

The other side politically “responds” to the government through an agenda of issues that concern the wider center and center-left audience. Not only at the level of institutions and transparency, but these days also at the level of local government: “Mr. Mitsotakis asked you to support his choices in self-government throughout Greece. In other words, he asked for a “blue” map because, as he says, he will be able to get along better”, commented Nikos Androulakis from Lesvos.

“It’s worth saying a big ‘no’ to him. And to support self-governors who will not serve the government and Mr. Mitsotakis, but you, the common people, citizens and their daily life. Making proper use of European programs and money. Local government with regional development, with decentralization”, he pointed out, focusing on the message that progressive citizens can send the government, only a few months after the double electoral victory of New Democracy.

If the Androulakis message is heeded, PASOK also benefits in terms of its ultimate goal – which is, even if it is not officially said, second place in the upcoming European elections. “If they think they’re going to topple Mitsotakis with Tik-Tok, they’re being laughed at,” Androulakis said from Patras – an indirect attack on the way SYRIZA is opposing and a direct comparison to their own opposition choice.

The “war” between the two largest opposition parties has begun and is taking shape, because Koumoundourou is also picking up the gauntlet. Referring a few days ago in an announcement, for the first time in a long time, the “barbaric ND-PASOK memorial policies”.

Communication strategy upgrade

It may be that the strategic choice that has been made does not include communication conflicts with SYRIZA, but this does not mean that at PASOK they are not thinking about the ways they can upgrade their presence in the media, especially in social media, which these days dominates the official opposition – and they are testing the ways in which this could be done.

The anniversary of “Diavgia, the government site for public tender announcements,” offered an opportunity, as PASOK presented with a video the political legacy of the party and the imprint left by the years it was in government. “We propose its constitutional enshrining, so that no one, no matter how powerful, can bypass it,” says Androulakis. “To make our everyday life more humane”, is the phrase that closes the presentation – and it is clearly aimed at the center-left audience which PASOK traditionally addresses.

At the same time, PASOK does not want to leave space for its opponents on the field. In the struggle for hegemony in the so-called progressive space, the visit of Androulakis, together with George Papandreou, to Kalendzi (place of origin of the family of the founder of PASOK) last weekend had its own symbolic message.

In Magnesia on Monday, in addition to Stefanos Kasselakis, the secretary of PASOK, Andreas Spyropoulos, was also present. Underlining PASOK’s proposal for a task force that will undertake the reconstruction of the affected areas, but also a “barb” against the way SYRIZA wages its opposition “We are here with a plan and proposals to contribute to the reconstruction of the area” was the phrase with which he began his statements.

At the self-governing level, the greatest symbolism is found in Athens: with the distinct from SYRIZA and non-purely party candidacy of Haris Doukas, PASOK is also trying to project an ideological message – betting on the energy and environmental envelope of its candidacy.