Profile: George Papandreou

George Papandreou plans to reform his party

When Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis announced that he was stepping down as leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok), he said his replacement must represent "renewal".

George Papandreou, elected leader with more than a million members' votes, appears to fit the bill.

His surname may represent old times, being the son and grandson of two former prime ministers, but he plans a radical reform of the party.

Most importantly, when the wider population is sceptical about a party whose old guard has been tainted by allegations of sleaze and complacency, Mr Papandreou's popularity appears to extend beyond grassroots socialists.

He says the changes being made within the party, which has ruled Greece for almost 20 years, show Pasok can also change society.

"We see in this new era of globalisation that the citizens need to be able to participate, to not fall through the cracks, to not be excluded, to be able to bring out their most creative forces," he said.

"That's a small revolution in itself."

US education

The "revolutionary" Mr Papandreou is said to be a calm, thoughtful and diplomatic politician in contrast to the flamboyant personalities of his father Andreas and grandfather George.

George senior was prime minister of Greece twice.

We have shown we can change ourselves which means we can change society George Papandreou

His son Andreas was exiled from Greece in 1939 and went to the United States, where Mr Papandreou was born to an American mother in 1952.

Mr Papandreou attended schools in Illinois, Sweden and Canada and received degrees from Amherst College, the London School of Economics and Harvard University.

He speaks English, Greek and Swedish.

He returned to Greece after the restoration of democracy in 1974 and became involved with his father's party.

Polls

Mr Papandreou rose through the ranks of Pasok and was elected to parliament in 1981, the same year his father was elected prime minister.

After a number of ministerial posts he was appointed foreign minister in 1999. He was also the minister responsible for the successful bid for 2004 Olympic Games.

As foreign minister, he has helped ease long-standing tensions with neighbouring Turkey and improved relations with old rivals Albania and Bulgaria.

Mr Papandreou has also been closely involved in the efforts to resolve the issue of a divided Cyprus ahead of the island joining the European Union on 1 May.

But now, at home, the conservatives are slowly increasing their lead over the socialists, and using past corruption claims in their campaign to upset Pasok.

Mr Papandreou, with family credentials from the dynasty at the heart of the party, will have to convince the nation his plans for change will make enough of a difference.