By Magda Panoutsopoulou
ATHENS
The formation of the Democrat Socialists’ Movement was announced Saturday by Greece's former prime minister and former PASOK leader George Papandreou.
Papandreou made his inaugural speech amid fervent cheering. Attendees welcomed Papandreou waving flags bearing the picture of his father and founder of PASOK, Andreas, and uttering the slogan: "George, go ahead, change everything."
The new party is expected to contest the upcoming legislative election on January 25, going against PASOK and other parties.
Papandreou began his speech with the slogan “Pame”- “let’s go.”
“We will write history,” he said, amid more applause and cheering.
“We are not starting from zero. We are starting from the beginning and this is our principle,” he said.
Papandreou noted that the basic principles of his new party are humanism and commitment to human dignity.
“We’re inspired by the values of political liberalism. Citizens must control the government; the power of law should override everything and not the law of the powerful.
“We are inspired by the principles of socialism and our faith in justice,” said Papandreou.
“Those who do not want to understand talk about division. We talk about redemption and a creative rupture with the political party status quo,” stated Papandreou.
“Time is short. The project is a big challenge. It starts with the first post, the national elections.”
Papandreou, who announced that he would form his own movement yesterday, said in a written announcement on his personal webpage: “The time has come for the next great step for the country’s progressive forces. The time has come to build the new political home that will house our progressive values that united and still unite us.”
Papandreou served as the leader of PASOK from 2004 to 2012. He then served as the prime minister between 2009 and 2011.
In 2009 while Papandreou was prime minister, Greece debt crisis exploded, forcing Papandreou to seek help from the Troika which is comprised of the European Commission, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank. It was the beginning of Greece’s deep recession and tough austerity measures that made Papandreou and his party PASOK's popularity drop.
In late 2011, Papandreou resigned from his position as prime minister when the euro zone crisis broke and was succeeded by former European Central Bank Vice President Lucas Papademos. Papademos led a temporary coalition government until elections were held in 2012.
Since then Papandreou has kept a low profile.
PASOK spokeswoman Eva Kaili said in an announcement that the decision was an “immoral and insane political act and a cold–blooded attempt to fragment PASOK.”
Papandreou is the son of Andreas Papandreou, the founder of the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement -- PASOK in 1974, and a political leader that dominated Greek politics for more than 40 years.
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