The socialist PASOK leader candidate field now stands at eight after former EU commissioner for social affairs and minister Anna Diamantopoulou declared her candidacy on Tuesday.

Insiders rank the 65-year-old's candidacy as the fourth strongest, behind incumbent Nikos Androulakis, Municipality of Athens candidate Haris Doukas, and former Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos. The others are journalist Giannis Kanellakis and MPs Milena Apostolaki, Michalis Katrinis, and Nadia Giannakopoulou.

“I believe in society, I believe in politics, I believe in the individual’s power to choose their fate, in the power of each one to build a better life,” Diamantopoulou said in a campaign video released Tuesday. 

“For a Greece that produces. A stronger, safer, and more just Greece. For a proud Greece. For the solidarity we need to rebuild among us,. For a great and governing PASOK,” she said.

Diamantopoulou is seen as a figure who can attract centrists and PASOK voters who switched to Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ New Democracy in the 2019 and 2023 national elections. She is also believed to be able to “inherit” a large portion of those who supported former MP Andreas Loverdos in the previous party leadership contest. Loverdos has since left PASOK.

Opponents, however, may point to her long absence from PASOK but also imply that, under her leadership, the party might be tempted to cooperate with the ruling conservatives.

The election is scheduled for October 6, with a second round set for October 13 if no candidate obtains an absolute majority.

The election was brought forward from next year following the party’s lukewarm performance in the European Parliament elections in June.