PASOK

PASOK, short for Panhellenic Socialist Movement, is a Greek political party founded in 1974 by Andreas Papandreou. It is a center-left, social-democratic party that played a dominant role in Greek politics during the late 20th century and into the early 2000s. The party has been affiliated with international and European social-democratic organizations, including the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists.

Historically, PASOK emerged from the transition to democracy after the Greek military regime and quickly became a major force in parliament. It won the 1981 election and led Greece for much of the decade, implementing expansive social and economic reforms and strengthening state involvement in welfare and public services. The party remained influential through the 1990s and into the 2000s, with Costas Simitis as prime minister from 1996 to 2004, continuing modernization and European integration efforts. In 2009, PASOK returned to government under George Papandreou, but its popularity deteriorated during the debt crisis and bailout programs of the early 2010s.

Following poor electoral performance, PASOK rebranded in 2015 as Movement for Change (Kinima Allagis, KINAL), a broader center-left alliance intended to reposition the party within Greek politics. Since 2021, the party has been led by Nikos Androulakis as part of the PASOK–Movement for Change structure, commonly referred to as PASOK-KINAL. Today, PASOK remains a significant center-left force in Greece and a member of European social-democratic networks.