Three conditions for victory
Aren’t you concerned that under your leadership PASOK lags well behind ND in opinion polls? How can this be reversed? Even after the fires and the structured bonds scandal, ND still had a clear win in the elections. It was not a clear win; it was a clear Pyrrhic victory, a marginal parliamentary majority against an overwhelming social and political majority, that marks the beginning of the end for ND, under three conditions that we must meet. The first is to turn our present internal party procedure into a real opportunity to alter the political balance and set the terms for a dynamic exit from the crisis. That means that by November 12 we will have taken the path that will reconnect us to the expectations of the Greek people and bridge the gaps between the policy and behavior that have alienated us from our friends and the public. The second condition is that we do not get caught up in apolitical and conservative perceptions of leadership and communication that belong to our opponents but do not suit us. We don’t want to be another Karamanlis or ND. Those who envy the leaders and tactics of the Right apparently have difficulty understanding the needs, priorities and ideas of the Center-Left. The third is to produce new alternative models of leadership and policy that are credible, effective and radical enough to earn the public’s trust and their consent for a thorough shake-up that our political and social system needs. A different PASOK will win the next general election. It won’t be a different leader with the same PASOK, but a PASOK that has established a new unity, based on the clear agreement of members on a specific political direction, on a specific political line and program, without the fuzziness and confusion caused by personal strategies and self-seeking. Meeting those conditions is what is at stake on November 11.
