Marinos Skandamis, a lawyer, legal scholar, and former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice, announced he will not stand as a candidate with PASOK in the upcoming elections. His statement carries pointed implications about the party’s leadership stance on post-election cooperation—particularly the possibility of a coalition with New Democracy (ND), Greece’s center-right governing party.
A Difficult Decision
Skandamis clarified that although he received a “courtesy nomination” from PASOK, he cannot run because he is unable to assure voters that their vote would not ultimately contribute to a coalition government with ND. “I cannot assure the people I address that the vote I ask for will not end up counting toward some coalition with New Democracy,” he stated bluntly.
He described his decision as deeply difficult—not least because he and many colleagues had worked hard to help PASOK reconnect with its foundational principles and ideas, which once made it a driving force for progressive political change.
Blurring the Party’s Message
Skandamis criticized what he called deliberate, systematic efforts by the party leadership to obscure the clear message adopted at PASOK’s recent congress: “No coalition with ND.” According to him, these tactics have reopened the debate on post-election alliances “in all directions,” undermining efforts to build consensus around a genuinely progressive government.
This ambiguity, he argued, leaves PASOK’s political orientation after the elections fundamentally unresolved—and makes it impossible for him to endorse a candidacy that could lend legitimacy to a potential ND-led coalition.
A Message to Fellow PASOK Members
Though stepping back from the electoral race, Skandamis addressed fellow members still active within PASOK—those he described as waging an “unequal Sisyphean struggle” from inside the party. He expressed support for those fighting for the ideals of unadulterated social democracy, socialism, the left, and ecology.
“After all, we cannot disappear—our paths and struggles remain shared,” he concluded.
In his full statement, Skandamis said: “In the next elections, I will not run with PASOK, despite the courtesy nomination I received. It was not an easy decision to make—because many friends and comrades…”