Because conceit and arrogance are inherent of foolish people – particularly politicians – it is worth recalling some timeless truths so they can get off their high horse in time!
First off, there are no “proprietary” voters. Even the most fanatic supports today can become fanatic opponents tomorrow. Prominent party officers will leave one leader to join the “court” of another party. Even experienced divs, with decades of party loyalty, are moving to their neighbor’s shack.
That is how political formations, opportunistic “fronts” and single-use leaders are created… Once could talk about political cloning, if the intention, for example, is to rile the Communist Party (KKE) officers who formed the so-called “KKE Interior” and were accused as “traitors of the movement”. After the collapse of the communist regimes in 1989 many KKE officers abandoned the party in to order to join the “Coalition of the Left and Progress” which had been formed by two tested leaders, Charilaos Florakis and Leonidas Kyrkos.
The formation of the Coalition did not have the impact that its founders expected. KKE departed in an orderly fashion and Leonidas Kyrkos retired. Ultimately KKE Interior inherited the title and in its effort to secure the 3% of the vote to enter Parliament, it called all of the fringe parties and groups in the greater Left to cooperate. Under Mr. Alavanos’ leadership the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) was formed.
Now, by taking all of the aforementioned into consideration, let us see how the political map has been affected and what the political prospects are.
Are we, for example, headed for ELECTIONS?
The Right has lost its glamor and dynamism. Internal competitiveness, mistakes and omissions, catastrophic consultants and error in political tactics have almost marginalized New Democracy from the political life. Furthermore ND has lost the monopoly on representing the Right. Golden Dawn and even Mr. Kammenos’ Independent Greeks are claiming their own share.
In the Center the situation is even worse. Political incompetence, major mistakes and scandals destroyed the once mighty PASOK. Supporters, members and significantly voters abandoned the party in droves, which extended from the Right to the far Left. Where did it’s voters go?
It is obvious that PASOK’s voters moved to the relatively new SYRIZA, which opened its doors in time and quietly called the centrists to align themselves with the Left. The operation was a success, with SYRIZA’s officers not believing their eyes when they saw New Democracy preoccupied entirely with its far Right.
Clearly SYRIZA won because of the centrists, who voted with their heart and ignored the rumors of dangerous tendencies and attitudes in the “party of the Left”.
When SYRIZA won the elections in January, the overall estimation was that a new formation was coming to dominate the political scene. The fact that most of SYRIZA’s voters came from the Center also determined the country’s progressive and calm political path.
However the actions and omissions of ministers and government officers raise a question: do the “comrades” know which popular masses support them? Are we headed for elections?
Stavros P. Psycharis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
