The election result is not yet visible.

However, everything has changed since the elections in January, the people are skeptical and many are indifferent.

They do not expect much from the elections – their stance is more defensive, rather than being defined by expectations and hopes for the future.

After everything that went on in the previous seven months, new understandings were formed and new ideas tend to prevail, as the previous ones collapsed under the many waves of insecurity.

The Greek people has experienced a lot in the months that went by; major victories and huge disappointments. They left the dreams for a gloomy haze and hope for the darkness of absolute catastrophe.

Now, they are seeking out for a secure anchor to latch on to, to end the adventure and erase the traumatic experience of the unknown and the unfamiliar.

Within such a climate and after the tumultuous summer holidays in August, the first polls show that the differences between SYRIZA and New Democracy have been nullified.

The strong lead that Mr. Tsipras once had is all but gone.

The impulsive and populist Evangelos Meimarakis, the absolute representative of the old, is surprisingly demonstrating a major ability in unifying the conservative wing and is now challenging the resigned Prime Minister for the first place on equal terms.

It would seem that the shock of the schism was too great for the party of the new Left. The shock however of the unsuccessful and almost problematic government that preceded was even greater.

The party which was in power until yesterday has only managed to rally about 50% of its voters from January, only a few weeks before the general elections.

It appears that the people have made a negative assessment of the previous seven-month government. They do not want to remember the climate of financial insecurity that dominated after the referendum and are demonstrating a tendency to return home, towards the more traditional political forces or those which can guarantee normality in the financial and social life.

The pollsters are documenting the shift in public opinion and differentiations amongst the body electorate, but they are not yet in the position to make an estimation, they remain skeptical.

They cannot believe the apparent swing of the political pendulum, they feel that Mr. Tsipras can still change the game, they assume that SYRIZA’s tanks are still full and that Evangelos Meimarakis is not in the position to the lead the conservative party to victory.

They recognize the strength of his populism and impulsion, but argue that he is susceptible to making mistakes and estimate that he will make many mistakes as the elections approach.

On the other hand, they cannot believe Mr. Tsipras’ rate of attrition, nor have they evaluated the losses caused by his ambivalence towards the agreement and its implementation.

Mr. Tsipras has a guilty behavior towards his comrades who abandoned him and cannot clearly guarantee staying on the European course.

He is addressing a new circle of voters, while his eye is on those who are abandoning him.

His ambivalence is visible to the naked eye. The people can see it, understand it and is rightfully wary.

The question is whether they are wary to the point where they prefer Evangelos Meimarakis.

In any case the upcoming electoral showdown will entirely different to the one in January.

If Mr. Tsipras cannot guarantee the country’s European course and normality in the people’s lives with vigor, he will lose.

Antonis Karakousis