While it may be clear to everyone that all elections are political, it should equally be clear that local government elections, especially municipal elections, cannot turn into a divisive political confrontation based on the relevant partisan interests.
Obviously the results of municipal elections can lead to political conclusions, but in no case can they be an indicator as to which party has the majority’s approval to run the country.
The decision of SYRIZA president Mr. Tsipras to ascribe a referendum dimension to the local government elections, which will determine the government’s future, neither helps his party, not his candidates, and much less, the local communities, whose problems the new mayors will be called upon to address.
Local government has paid dearly for party politics all these years, with all sorts of mayors whose only quality was their devotion to the leader or party line. Local communities do not need leaders who only intend to promote their party interests, but rather capable and worthy people who are able to manage the social and financial problems in their area and find solutions to the problems affecting their people.
The crisis we are experiencing today as a country is not attributed to incompetence and corruption of central authority. A huge part of the blame for wasting public funds, for under-the-table deals and the various phenomena of mismanagement and corruption lies with the municipalities.
It is no coincidence the few municipalities have managed to restrict their expenses and financial hemorrhaging, while being in the position to offer reliable and useful services to their people.
After five years of crisis and depreciation of the political system, we finally have the opportunity to set aside partisanship and allow the upcoming elections to give prominence to people with prestige, knowledge and above the willingness to fight for the interests of their land and their people.
Let the example previous elections, where capable and determined mayors without political dependencies were elected and managed to tidy up finances and get things done, be a lesson for all of the political parties and the hopeful contenders for local power.
TO VIMA
