George Papandreou addresses PASOK’s national council at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Neo Faliron, yesterday. The Socialist leader said that Greece was like a ‘rudderless ship’ under the New Democracy government and pledged to create a fairer society if PASOK wins the next general elections.

PASOK leader George Papandreou told supporters yesterday to prepare for elections, in a speech to his party’s national council almost three years to the day after the Socialists lost power.

The Socialist leader labeled the government as the worst Greece had seen since the fall of the military junta in 1974. He pledged that a Socialist government would focus on the well-being of workers, small business owners, farmers and women.

Papandreou accused Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis of pandering to “vested interests.”

“I am not asking to become a prime minister who is a hostage like Mr Karamanlis but I am asking for the trust of the Greek people,” said Papandreou as he addressed several thousand faithful supporters and party officials at the Peace and Friendship in Neo Faliron, southern Athens.

The PASOK leader unveiled an ambitious social spending plan last week and used his address yesterday to condemn the government for bringing about an unfair redistribution of wealth which has benefited the well-off.

Papandreou promised a “fairer” tax system and the creation of a “new health service” with 3,000 hirings each year to ease the shortfall in personnel.

Papandreou’s speech often referenced the achievements of previous PASOK governments under his father Andreas Papandreou as well as Costas Simitis.

The PASOK leader’s key message for the party faithful was that “the election battle begins now” as he seeks to unite Socialist voters who, according to opinion polls, have yet to be convinced of Papandreou’s leadership skills.