The government is continuing its unorthodox and institutionally problematic practices in critical institutions for democratic stability. After its odd practices in justice, the government took an extra-institutional initiative to begin the constitutional review. While it is absolutely clear that Parliament has the initiative for the review procedures, the government decided to appoint a committee that is meant to document the views of bodies and public opinion on what must change in the Constitution.
As stressed by Mr. Venizelos, there has never been such a circumvention of constitutional procedures via social dialogue committees since the restoration of Democracy. It also noteworthy that nobody in the committee has any real authority on the matter, such as constitutionalists; some have previously sparked controversy, while others represent social groups or professions, such as actors, yet nobody know how they may contribute.
Once again the government purposely confuses dialogue and informing the people via extra-institutional procedures which raise many questions on its intentions and goals. IT is implement the well-known recipe of populism in the name of a so-called social participation to fully circumvent constitutional provisions.
Only the Constitution, the institutional contract that determines the democratic rules and establishes institutional checks and balances, is too serious matter for opportunistic and party interests of any government. It is no coincidence that article 110 of the Constitution stipulates that only Parliament, with a specific majority vote, may organize such procedures.
The popular meetings and so-called direct democracy procedures may be opportunistic populist games, but they cannot alter nor replace the established institutions of a democracy. As far as we are aware Greece still has a Parliamentary democracy. Whatever some within SYRIZA may believe, they must realize that the Constitution is not Syntagma Square…
TO VIMA
