Greece's Socialist PASOK becomes main opposition after leftist party collapse

FILE PHOTO: A supporter of PASOK Socialist party wears a scarf with the party's logo during PASOK's Socialist party pre-election rally in Athens, Greece, May 17, 2023. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi/File Photo

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece saw a change in its main opposition party on Thursday after a wave of defections from the leftist Syriza party opened the door for the centre-left PASOK to challenge the dominance of rightist Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The opposition shift will revive a more traditional battle for the political centre that dominated Greek politics before a 2009-18 debt crisis triggered years of social and political instability.