This country does not belong to any Mr. Tsipras. Neither a Mr. Mitsotakis or anyone else. They all receive a mandate with an expiration date. All that is certain is that one day they all become ‘former’. A few write history. Most of former Prime Ministers are forgotten in the annals of history.
In our history, three leaders emerged in the past century: Eleftherios Venizelos, Konstantinos Karamanlis and Andreas Papandreou are the only ones who are remembered in history. Nevertheless, all three were sent packing prematurely.
Eleftherios Venizelos, the creator of Greece of “two continents and five seas” was chased out of Greece and breathed his final breath far away from his land.
Konstantinos Karamanlis governed (between 1955 and 1963) as a true spokesperson for the Right. He emerged however as the leading div in the restoration of Democracy, when the dictatorship collapsed in 1974. He used to say “I will not leave by plane, chased away like Venizelos”.
Andreas Papandreou, who is regarded as having restored national and popular unity, was ousted from power. The events that saw his end his tenure as Prime Minister, in spite of his poor health, only to return with his electoral triumph in 1993, are well known.
The rules of Democracy are timeless in their implementation, irreplaceable and strict. Especially with regards to the temporary nature of power.
So in short, since we all go to church, woe to those who “lifted heels of contempt against their benefactor”.
And in Latin: Sic transit gloria mundi.
Stavros P. Psycharis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
