Nikos Androulakis has often spoken flatteringly of Pedro Sánchez, even citing him as an example of governance for Greece, which seems to backfire on him.
Nikos Androulakis in recent times, at the urging of his close associates, has made several references to Pedro Sánchez, who after all belongs to the European socialists, as an example of progressive governance for our country as well. In the same line was Charis Doukas, who defended the Spanish prime minister in his posts.
Of course, PASOK was preceded by Alexis Tsipras, who from 2023 onwards also uses the Spanish prime minister as an example of progressive governance.
Things are changing, however, as many clouds have gathered over Spain’s socialist government. And already within PASOK there are already rumblings about Androulakis choosing to rely so heavily on the Sanchez example.
Aparticularly after the prosecution of the Spanish prime minister’s wife for corruption and the polls, which predict a major defeat for the socialist party in Spain, the PASOK leadership is beginning to distance itself from the Sanchez paradigm narrative.
In addition, the climate is exacerbated by the Spanish prime minister’s decision to legalise nearly half a million immigrants from Africa, a move that is being met with strong opposition in Spanish society and is a policy that apparently does not sit well with Greek society either. At the same time, the Spanish Prime Minister’s “war” business with Erdogan and the accusations that the Spanish government is supplying military equipment to Iran through third countries have set off a red alert in Charilaou Trikoupis.
Finally, the socialist Sanchez government hasn’t managed to perform any miracles on the economic front either, as Spain now has higher unemployment than Greece, roughly the same levels of inflation and the promise of a four-day working week was eventually rejected as unproductive.
And many wonder why Nikos Androulakis did not reject the recommendations for Pedro Sánchez from the start, knowing his relations with Turkey and the fact that the Spanish prime minister’s party is losing by a wide margin in the polls. However, even in PASOK they understand that the most… “Mr. Eleison” with the Spanish socialists is hurting them and it’s a narrative more suited to New Left type parties.
Of course, it’s too late now. Because for so long the Androulakis leadership has been passionately defending the Sanchez government, and more importantly holding it up as an example of governance for Greece, effectively giving points to Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
