The art of the volte-face

Executing a political volte-face can be extremely tricky. You can see it in the countries that have been traditionally allergic to them. When the time or the need arises, they struggle with such decisions. Their leaders come under pressure and, occasionally, are swept out of power.

The British are a classic example. Had we Greeks been in their position, we too would have likely voted in favor of Brexit. To start with, we would have been swept up in our collective, unchecked passion and the immense pressure from social media. Add to the mix the widespread indignation felt by Greek society when it found itself at a similar crossroads.

The British voted to leave the European Union. However, even those who were against the idea soon came to terms with the new reality. When asked whether Brexit was a mistake that needed to be corrected, most would respond: “Britain is not a banana republic. We respect our institutions. We made a decision and we will stick to it.” Now the British have run into fresh trouble because the callous markets have pushed Liz Truss, their newly appointed prime minister, into performing a spectacular volte-face. Europe’s oldest parliamentary democracy, a country with famously robust institutions, is in unprecedented turmoil.

You see, we Greeks have learned to view such dramatic shifts in stance as an acceptable form of political leadership. The country was ruled by leaders who said one thing but meant something else entirely. They charmed voters with populist flair but, still, they did not let us down at the time of big compromises. In fact, every U-turn would earn our admiration: “Kudos to him,” pundits would say. Critics of the political volte-face, whether it concerned ethics or effectiveness, came from a narrow elite which felt like it was watching an incomprehensible show in an incomprehensible audience. 

Is this comment an odd expression of admiration for that populist type of leader who is canny enough to convince the electorate about the merits of some political chimera only to then give them a rude albeit cost-free awakening? Well, not quite. The truth is I am fascinated by our ability to make mistakes and then adapt to their consequences.

I wonder where we would be today if we had not experienced so many volte-faces; if our leaders spoke the truth, the hard truth, more often. Sure, Greece would be a more boring place to live. Also, it would be a more modern one. Volte-faces may often save us from committing fatal mistakes. But they always come at a cost.