Fofi Gennimata, the head of the centre-left Movement for Change coalition – which includes Stavros’ Theodorakis’ To Potami, the smaller Democratic Left party, and George Papandreou’s Democratic Socialists’ Movement – is trying to overcome the political maelstrom that she stirred by demanding immediate elections, without consulting with the component parties or other top divs.
Former Pasok leader and deputy prime minister Evangelos Venizelos supported Gennimata’s call for elections, even though relations between the two have been tense.
Venizelos strongly opposes any collaboration with SYRIZA, as he believes that would push centrist voters towards New Democracy.
Former PM Papandreou and Athens Mayor Yorgos Kaminis are members of the party’s political council.
Gennimata has reportedly begun a series of contacts with Theodorakis and others in an effort to rally the party, and she is also planning to convene the executive secretariat, which would presumably confirm and legitimise her political strategy, including early elections.
Another matter that racked the party was the rampant rumours that Theodorakis has called for the Movement for Change to collaborate with SYRIZA, and that he is mulling leaving the movement. He vehemently denied it.
“This is a new era of fake news. You hear a political leader [himself] saying that the top aim is to defeat the SYRIZA-Independent Greeks coalition, and you skew that into the assertion that the leader wants to run on SYRIZA’s statewide ticket. Mercy!” he said
