Nikos Androulakis rejects coalition of defeated parties and demands PASOK victory

Electoral stance and governance conditions

Speaking on the ERTnews program "Eftheos" late Monday evening on 5 October 2026, PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis outlined his party's strategy for the upcoming general election. He insisted that genuine political change requires PASOK to secure first place in the vote, explicitly ruling out participating in a coalition composed of defeated opposition parties. According to Androulakis, only a victorious party possesses the mandate to lead a progressive social democratic administration and replace the governing New Democracy party. He rejected alliances with protest parties or single-leader formations, asserting that defeating the government requires institutional experience, detailed policy, and organisational renewal. He also addressed party expansion, clarifying that PASOK's growth strategy encompasses both flanks of the political spectrum rather than an exclusive turn toward the left.

Either we will be first to have the initiative to form a government and send New Democracy into opposition, or New Democracy will form a government.

Economic policy and debt relief plans

Economic proposals formed a core part of the discussion, focusing on private debt relief and energy taxation. Androulakis announced that PASOK will reject the government's forthcoming 120-installment settlement bill because of its financial terms. While the government plan applies a 5.8% interest rate and restricts eligibility to debtors on 72 installments, PASOK advocates a 3% interest cap and intends to extend eligibility to individuals on 24- and 48-installment plans facing financial hardship. He noted that PASOK had submitted amendments proposing 120 installments repeatedly since 2022, despite cabinet ministers such as Kyriakos Pierrakakis dismissing the plan at the time. To combat high consumer prices, PASOK proposes using surplus value-added tax revenues to reduce the special consumption tax on fuel, citing Italy's fiscal model.

Housing and pension measures

Androulakis defended his party's broader fiscal and social programme against accusations from the government that the platform announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair was uncosted. He maintained PASOK's commitment to reinstate the 13th pension in two installments. When contrasting this with the government's increase of pensioner allowances to 400 euros, he argued that the fiscal difference between the government's measure and PASOK's first pension installment is only 60 million euros. In housing policy, Androulakis pointed to Spain's framework and reiterated a rejected PASOK amendment concerning the Golden Visa programme. Under the proposal, foreign investors renewing their visas after five years would face mandatory requirements to either occupy their properties or make them available on long-term rental leases to alleviate housing shortages.

Foreign policy and bilateral relations

Turning to external affairs, Androulakis contested Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's characterisation of Aegean diplomacy as an era of calm waters. He argued that ongoing developments contradict this description, citing Turkish school textbooks teaching the Blue Homeland doctrine and diplomatic stances pushing for the partition of Cyprus. To support his critique of maritime policy, Androulakis cited statements from senior New Democracy lawmaker Angelos Syrigos asserting that Greece yielded twice during incidents near the island of Kasos. He argued that the administration has misrepresented the stability of regional security.

Calm waters and Blue Homeland in the books of students in Turkey is not calm waters. Calm waters and an agenda of partitioning Cyprus is not calm waters.