Maneuvering time for elections in the fall

Yet again, this pre-election period will not be strewn with rose petals. During last Thursday’s political leaders’ meeting, PASOK president George Papandreou suggested that the “life” of the country's current interim government should be extended. His initiatve shook and displeased New Democracy leader, Antonis Samaras, who insists on polls by the end of April the latest.

Many Pasok members do believe the “big time” will be September which along with the PSI and the new support package deals - as well as the coming March, which will be the benchmark of how things will turn out - is causing them migraines.

The dauphins

Those interested in acquiring the party’s (PASOK’s) presidential title, are hoping that if the election procedure takes place in mid to late March, they will have enough time to bounce back within an intra-party framework.

That is, if national elections take place sometime in the coming fall, then the new PASOK head will have the necessary time to “dismiss” the “Papandreou texture”, from the party. This being said, the newly appointed leader will be freer to decide on the tactics he/she will use against the opposition mainstays, Samaras and Kouvelis.

The ND resignation case

Samaras might be upset with the possibility, but perhaps he and his party might be asked to back out of the election standoff, leaving the PASOK and LAOS sides to deal with the premiership. In such a case, the two involved parties that will remain will be faced with multiple problems, albeit solvable ones.

Only if the “fresh blood” who will be at the helm of PASOK can tackle those problems will the political climate shift to a better state.