Moves of Tactics

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has clearly adopted a hard stance against all opposition parties, however, this does not necessarily mean that he wouldn’t accept the formation of a National Unity government. This strategy at first appears to be irreconcilable and controversial, but in fact it isn’t… On the contrary, it is in line with Mr. Tsipras’ ability to perturb the current political status, to observe weaknesses and intentions of opposition leaders and to undertake initiatives in favor of his governmental plan and his party’s political positions.

Some call it tactics. Translated in Greek, the word acquires a very broad sense. And after being wrongly interpreted by untalented politicians, it is often used to describe something as “reprehensible”. Politics, however, is more than a walk in the park or a road paved with roses.

A dispassionate reading of the Prime Minister’s positions does not exclude the formation of a broader government, as the country is confronted with many problems that apparently cannot be addressed by a single party government. The Prime Minister wishes to proceed with a multi-party government, avoiding however SYRIZA’s governmental collapse, after securing the consensus of all opposition parties, especially New Democracy. What surely bothers Tsipras is who will be elected president of the main opposition party.

For example, he’d wish for Evaggelos Meimarakis to lead ND, who last summer -baring a high sense of responsibility- raised his country’s interest before his party and himself. Also, it is in honor of Mr. Meimarakis that -as expressed in his public speeches- he doesn’t exclude the formation of a National Unity government under conditions, although his fellow candidates oppose to the idea.

Either way, the government’s pension reform plan, due to be announced, will be a crucial test both for the government and the opposition parties and it is threatening to put everybody on the bench.

In his recent interview with the Greek Public Broadcaster – ERT, the Prime Minister appeared reassuring that pensions would not be further reduced, while referring to alternative, equivalent measures. Opposition parties say this would be inevitable, as the budget is not balanced. It may be balanced in relation to the timeframe, in a constantly changing political scenery.

“Politics is the Art of the Possible” they say and eventually no one disagrees with that. We should also take in mind that it is impossible to produce policy, if one -all day long- sees nothing but calamities and disasters, just because it is easier to spin “bad news”. And all that just because it favors the political parties some people belong to.

*Konstantinos M. Pantzios is a journalist and a political analyst.