Venizelos is the sole candidate for the PASOK presidency

With the strong support of members of the National Council, Evangelos Venizelos saw his candidacy for the presidency of PASOK almost triumphantly being approved by the party’s supreme authority. He had collected 189 signatures, of a total of 377 members. In contract, Christos Papoutsis’ candidacy was supported only by 12 members, when the statutory provision refers to at least 94 members.

The candidacy of Stephen Tzoumakas was supported only by one member. Papoutsis and Tzoumakas had earlier asked, with impassioned speeches, to have political approval of all three candidates, which was rejected by the national council, since something like this is not indicated in the statutes. The meeting took place in a charged climate, with constant recriminations, sometimes going over the limit. In some cases there even were threats of… beating, among female members of the national council.

Calmer spirits rescued the situation, but the psychological and political divide between the camps was obvious and many think that this will affect the elections next Sunday. The polls for the election of the president will be held on March 18th.