PASOK, DIMAR, Greens dissolve

Professor Yannis Voulgaris, who is unofficially at the helm of the “Movement of 58” and represents former PM Kostas Simitis' modernizing movement foretold the end of PASOK and the fielding of candidates in upcoming elections under the banner “Democratic Progressive Movement.”

Professor Voulgaris spelled out the movement's boundaries that will seek to house all those against “the policies of the right, conservative culture, authoritarianism, and neoliberalism. All those that refuse leftist populism, and false radicalism that rehashes all that is old.”

Yannis Voulgaris also attacked DIMAR saying it was marginalized by the choices of its leadership, while lauding PASOK policies, while also essentially announcing a renewal of personnel. The aim is to lead the new movement to upcoming European and local elections and prepare for national elections, whenever they're proclaimed. The aim is to block PASOK from the elections and lead to a “velvet” succession Evangelos Venizelos.

There are few, if any voices, counseling Mr Venizelos to remain at the head of the party, and even his closest associates are seeking a new, younger figure to lead the party, someone that can stand up to Alexis Tsipras.

Trouble in DIMAR

Meanwhile, three prominent DIMAR members, Spiros Likoudis, Andreas Papadopoulos, and Grigoris Psarianos, have joined the “58,” which practically means their exclusion from their party, as DIMAR leader Fotis Kouvelis has refused collaboration with PASOK or the “movement of 58.”

Things in DIMAR are taking a turn for the worse as party spokesman and mp Vasilis Oikonomou's relations with Fotis Kouvelis have chilled down, as he does not participate in the party's political council and he feels uninformed on crucial party issues. When Mr Oikonomou issued his own announcement in response to a press release he was uninformed about, but was relevant to his work, he was called to explain by Mr Kouvelis. In response Vasilis Oikonomou said that he was not the “uncle from North Korea [meaning Kim Yong Un's executed uncle] that can be erased from pictures.”

At the same time Andreras Loverdos is also seen as re-examining the possibility of joining the 58, as in a meeting with Fotis Kouvelis last Friday, the former disagreed with including the word “left” in the new name for DIMAR, something on which Kouvelis is adamant. The party's platform iss also a cause for disagreement between the two. The two men will again meet this weekend during a crucial DIMAR central committee meeting to discuss their coexistence in a common party.

PASOK Factions

Within PASOK three factions seem to have emerged. One under Kostas Skandalidis, which includes party secretary Nikos Androulakis and deputy defense minister Fofi Genimata, who are also not against a possible collaboration with SYRIZA and in favor of a change of leadership, but disagree with theapproach to the “58.” Thanos Moraitis and Filippos Sahinidis also participate in this faction, under the term that they lose no prerogatives, while also disagreeing with collaborating with the “58.”

The second faction comprises younger party members, like press spokesman Odysseas Kostantinopoulos who want collaboration with the “58” a referendum for europarliament candidates, and a “velvet” succession to Evangelos Venizelos. Paris Koukoulopoulos, Yannis Datseris, and Mihalis Chrysochoidis are close to this faction.

The third faction comprises the so-called 75 of Mihalis Karhimakis and the other fans of the Papandreou leadership, including eurodeputy Marilena Koppa, and former ministers of the at government like Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou.

The common denominator is that all factions want Evangelos Venizelos out of the party leadership. Mr. Venizelos who will back in Athens on Friday has called a political council meeting for Saturday, which is expected to be stormy, at least.

Ecologist-Greens fractiousness

The moves concerning the center left are also leading the Ecologist-Greens to their own division. The party's europarliament ticket will be headed by Vagelis Pisias with Nikos Chrysogonos. A strong group that includes Ioanna Kontouli and Giorgos Karameros are moving towards a collaboration with SYRIZA, while another group that includes Nikos Raptis are collaborating with the “58.”