“We are fighting for this demographic shift through fair regional development and social cohesion, because demographics are also a matter of national sovereignty. For us, these are links in the same chain, and they are interdependent. “Let’s put political change into action. With a strong, progressive, credible, and patriotic program,” emphasized Nikos Androulakis while speaking at the “Demographics 2026” conference.
He added that this is an issue that has now taken on existential dimensions and that for PASOK “it is not a banner of convenience, as it is a decisive factor in national strength. It is a fundamental prerequisite for the country’s productive, social, and cultural rebirth.”
He strongly criticized New Democracy for treating demographics as a field for political maneuvering and patronage.
“We saw this with the fiasco of the ‘My Home II’ program. We saw it with farcical measures, such as tax incentives for young people up to age 25, at a time when the overwhelming majority of them still live in their childhood bedrooms and work menial jobs. We see it in the state’s inadequate support for young families, as thousands of children are left out of daycare centers every year,” added Mr. Androulakis.
The president of PASOK – Movement for Change outlined his party’s proposal to address the acute social issue of population decline, which was presented last year on the 51st anniversary of PASOK’s founding.
“We presented a comprehensive program on demographics. I will outline the key pillars, aligned with society’s fundamental needs,” which concern:
“The first pillar is the revitalization of rural Greece. The goal is to retain the population and provide strong incentives for relocation. We have mapped out the specific characteristics of each prefecture individually,” he emphasized.
“The second pillar is the reestablishment of the welfare state. We have submitted a proposal for the pilot implementation of a 4-day workweek in specific sectors. This measure is fundamental to harmonizing professional and personal life. The active participation of fathers in this initiative leads to an increase in births. We propose a generational solidarity fund financed by revenues from hydrocarbon extraction,” he noted, among other things.
“Third pillar: interventions in urban centers. Fifty percent of the population is crammed into less than 2% of the land area. In recent years, housing has become a business. The primary problem in urban centers is housing for young couples. We are responding with Gen Rent, ” he stated.
In closing, he emphasized that it is “our historical duty to do everything in our power to reverse Greece’s population decline. It is a national, social, and economic issue.
At one point during the memoranda, I asked the relevant commissioner how the country’s economic future was being planned under the memoranda, given that they did not account for the demographic crisis. The answer was simple: “Change the way fiscal revenues are distributed. Place greater emphasis on the younger generations.”