PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis has directed sharp criticism at Athens Mayor Haris Doukas over his management of the Greek capital, pointing to deteriorating sidewalks and growing obstacles in daily life.
Speaking at the To Vima conference on Athens, Androulakis stated that specific interventions were urgently required to improve conditions for residents across the city.
When asked by journalist Pavlos Tsimas what Athens meant to him, the opposition leader replied that the capital possessed both the history and identity needed to transform into a modern European city. However, he emphasized that everyday life for citizens had grown significantly harder.
Androulakis called for humane sidewalks, asking how many people had suffered accidents or struggled in their daily lives because Athens presented so many physical barriers to navigation.
Strained Relations
Political observers interpreted the comments as a direct critique of Doukas's mayoral administration. Relations between Androulakis and Doukas have long been described as strained following a fiercely contested battle for the leadership of the centre-left Panhellenic Socialist Movement, known as PASOK.
The conference marks another occasion where the PASOK president has publicly questioned the performance of Doukas, who took office as Mayor of Athens after winning the municipal election in late 2023 with party backing.
Friction between the two political figures escalated between the first and second rounds of the 2024 PASOK internal leadership election, where Doukas challenged Androulakis for the party presidency while accusing the leadership of running a closed party.
Responding to those accusations during an interview on Greek television station Action24, Androulakis countered that PASOK had fought hard to deliver major political change in Athens. He rejected claims of exclusivity, arguing that he had opened party doors to dozens of young figures across Greece.
Defending Party Record
Androulakis asserted at the time that he had offered opportunities in regional councils, municipalities, national parliamentary slates, state tickets, and European Parliament lists. He noted that if PASOK were truly a closed party, Doukas would never have become mayor of Athens.
The party leader insisted that his appointments were made to renew the political system rather than to reward friends, social circles, or personal acquaintances.
During the 2024 broadcast, Androulakis added that Doukas would ultimately be judged as mayor by the residents of Athens. He stated that he wanted Doukas to succeed because PASOK had campaigned on a platform promising a green, open, and sustainable city, though he noted then that it was still too early to evaluate his full record.
