PASOK steps up pressure with farmers front and sustained confrontation with the government

The farmers’ issue is emerging as a key stress test for PASOK’s opposition strategy and a focal point of political pressure on the government.

A political reset with confrontation at its core

At Harilaou Trikoupi, the post-holiday period is not seen as a return to routine but as a full political reboot. PASOK is moving toward sustained, high-intensity opposition, activating party structures and sharpening its message as it heads toward its spring congress.

The party’s strategy centers on keeping constant pressure on the government across unresolved social issues, in a political environment where ruling-party fatigue is visible but has not yet crystallized into clear electoral change.

Farmers at the forefront

The agricultural issue tops PASOK’s agenda as farmers remain mobilized and their coordinating body prepares to decide on next steps. In the camp of party leader Nikos Androulakis, the line is clear: a head-on confrontation with the government.

PASOK officials argue that the standoff was not inevitable but the result of government inaction and delayed responses, particularly regarding payments and the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). As they put it, the government ignored farmers until protests became unavoidable.

Payments, credibility, and broken timelines

At the heart of PASOK’s criticism are delays in subsidies and partial payments, which the party says have undermined trust between the state and a vital productive sector. The issue is framed not just as a technical failure, but as a political credibility gap.

Within this context, PASOK has proposed a targeted suspension of farmers’ financial obligations until payments are fully restored, arguing that meaningful dialogue cannot take place under conditions of economic uncertainty.

Beyond subsidies: a strategic challenge

PASOK is also pushing the debate beyond income support. Party officials emphasize that agriculture is a strategic pillar linked to food security, regional cohesion, and national resilience.

From this perspective, the government is accused of lacking a long-term strategy, relying instead on ad hoc measures that fail to address structural weaknesses in primary production.

Accusations of shifting the political cost

Behind the scenes, irritation is growing at Harilaou Trikoupi over how the government handled the protests before the holidays. PASOK accuses the Prime Minister’s office of attempting to shift political responsibility onto farmers, fostering social friction through travel disruptions and public inconvenience.

As travel volumes rise again, the party is renewing its call for negotiation without ultimatums, warning that escalation risks deepening social divides.

A crash test for opposition credibility

Despite the intensity, PASOK does not anticipate early elections. The prevailing assessment is that the government still has time and fiscal space, supported in part by Recovery Fund resources, pushing the electoral horizon toward 2027.

That makes the current moment decisive. The farmers’ issue is shaping up as a political crash test: for the government’s ability to manage social pressure, and for PASOK’s capacity to convert discontent into a credible alternative governing proposal.

As party insiders acknowledge, the next moves by both the farmers’ coordination body and the government may determine whether this confrontation remains a passing episode—or becomes a turning point in the broader political landscape.

Source: pagenews.gr