Which world would you like to live in?
The three-day parliamentary debate on a motion of no confidence submitted by opposition parties over developments in the Tempe train crash inquiry ended on Thursday. We were a little puzzled, we mostly confirmed what we knew and very often wondered about the “truth” that was repeatedly professed by party leaders in their speeches.
As of Friday, the atmosphere had changed. Another day in our sunny country, with hordes of tourists enjoying the early summer. Stefanos Kasselakis, the leader of the main opposition, seemed pleased, at least in the photos, as he passed through the gate of the training camp in Thebes for his five-day leave, following the swearing-in ceremony and the end of his – truncated – military service. Meanwhile, as a new recruit, he did not remain idle. He participated in the parade marking Greece’s Independence Day and, in a video, called for the resignation of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and elections, in the presence of international observers. Friday, however, was a different day for him too. He celebrated his 35th birthday, and hosted a dinner for his relatives and 50 soldiers from his barracks.
Is there anything wrong with that? Of course not. He’s a young man, “hell, he’s a hunk!” as a lady who saw him march told a TV channel, and he handles his social media with aggressive skills. With the same carelessness with which he calls for an election with international observers in a democratic country, a few 24 hours later he blows out the candles on his cake, along with his previous post. His effort may not have worked out this time, but it caused a stir, it was talked about everywhere. Did he want more than to gain a share of attention in the motion of no confidence co-signed by the other parties at the initiative of PASOK and the New Left? A fuss, a commotion is always good to have. “He probably wants to make us immune to stupidity,” Mitsotakis said on Thursday.
Different worlds, different planets. With your hand on your heart, which one would you like to live in? In the Parliament’s three-day “reality,” discussing the Tempe tragedy, or in the diverse, photogenic, relaxed “reality” of Kasselakis? The answer is not so easy. Impasses lead to fictitious exits. As real impasses become more acute, virtual exits will become more attractive.
