Andreas Papandreou influenced Greek society like few other contemporary politicians and left a legacy of political maneuvers that often surprised both enemies and friends.

Part of his personality was his unpredictable reactions to the major challenges he faced. Equally unpredictable were his transformations from a left-wing liberal during his time in America to a Third World radical when he aimed for the premiership, and after assuming power, to a manager of the longevity of his governments.

Surely the core of radicalism and denial existed in his psyche, which was often shaken by internal storms. However, the greatest political interest from his mental shifts comes from his deliberate maneuvers. These maneuvers are part of his social radicalism and his "charisma."

Andreas was undoubtedly a new experience for Greek voters. The son of a political father and an educated mother, with an excellent education in the USA and a significant career as an economist professor, he chose collaborators who, with few exceptions, could not question his primacy.

The lesson of defection against his father in 1965 was decisive for his later plans. His vulnerable emotional world, after all, proved to be a hindrance throughout his career in achieving a calm private life.