Why I am calling for an early election

Government officials are surprised and angered by the opposition’s call for a fresh vote mere months after their election triumph. The conservatives’ arrogance, fueled by their 41 percent victory, blinds them to the significant events of the past 10 months that have reshaped the political landscape based on which voters entrusted Kyriakos Mitsotakis with governing the country.

Let’s examine what citizens were unaware of in June 2023 regarding key issues influencing their vote.

Firstly, concerning the Tempe tragedy, voters were unaware that shortly after the accident, certain individuals manipulated the audio recordings of the stationmaster to support the narrative of human error causing the crash. It’s now known that the recordings were doctored and circulated to a pro-government news outlet before being picked up by other media. Mitsotakis used this tampered exchange for political gain, hastily concluding that the accident was “solely due to human error.” Today, we know that the prosecutor has seized the hard disk from Hellenic Railways (OSE) for investigation.

Furthermore, voters did not know that the collision site was immediately filled with gravel. They did not know who issued the order, which is now being investigated by judicial authorities. They were unaware of whether the train was carrying flammable materials (such as xylene), which is currently undisputed. In June, they only knew Mitsotakis’ assurance to journalist Stavros Theodorakis on Alpha TV: “We know with certainty what the freight train was carrying. There was nothing inflammable. There was nothing suspicious inside the freight train.” Can Mitsotakis stand by that statement today, a year after the disaster? I challenge him to do so!

Furthermore, voters were unaware that the government would oppose the formation of a parliamentary committee and shamelessly opt to conceal the crime. Neither did the relatives of the victims nor the 1.5 million citizens who signed the petition started by Maria Karystianou (the representative of the association of victims’ relatives). Today, they know. They understand that solidarity among powerful political families takes precedence over truth and justice. They recognize that Mitsotakis equals Karamanlis, and vice versa.

A second issue where circumstances have shifted is the wiretapping scandal. The Council of State’s ruling, deeming unconstitutional the law crafted by the Maximos Mansion in 2021 (unfortunately supported by PASOK), allowed the espionage center to continue its activities unhindered.

The wiretapping scandal is now confirmed by the ruling of a supreme court, a ruling that did not exist in June 2023. It’s one thing to suspect that a law was enacted so that the Maximos Mansion could spy on anyone without consequences; it’s entirely different to have a formal ruling declaring the law unconstitutional. Now citizens no longer merely suspect; they know.

A third major issue is the leak of diaspora voters’ personal data by the Interior Ministry to the New Democracy party. In June 2023, voters were obviously unaware of what was happening behind their backs – i.e. that New Democracy, under the leadership of Mitsotakis and with the incumbent government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis as secretary, had gained access to their personal data. Now everyone is aware: Both the “imported,” as Kyriakos Mitsotakis refers to us, the diaspora Greeks who take part in homeland affairs, and everyone else, who rightfully question who can access their personal data and for what purposes.

However, it’s not only institutional issues that make the period since the June 2023 elections feel like “a century.” There are additional facts shaping present-day reality, justifying the necessity for a national election.

A critical issue where present-day experience has contradicted past promises is the trajectory of the Greek economy. In June 2023, voters were familiar with government propaganda claiming that inflation was “imported” and that Greece resembled an “economic miracle” contingent upon Mitsotakis’ re-election. What do they know today, based on Eurostat data and figures?

Firstly, Greece ranks as the second poorest country in the EU in terms of per capita income and purchasing power among the EU-27, trailing only Bulgaria.

Secondly, Greece is among the top five countries experiencing rising inflation.

Thirdly, food prices in Greece have nearly doubled compared to the European average.

Fourthly, more than one in four people in Greece live below the poverty line. Eurostat data reveal that 26.1% of the population (2,658,400 people) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, with the highest risk among children aged 17 and under (28.1%).

Fifthly, Greece has become a banking oligopoly haven, characterized by abusive banking practices, including record-breaking gaps between high lending rates and zero deposit rates, as well as tax-free profits with deferred tax – resulting in excessive earnings and minimal contribution to the Greek economy’s growth.

Sixthly, Mitsotakis falsely promised during his election campaign that taxes on the middle and lower-middle classes would decrease. Instead, his government implemented a minimum imputed income for freelancers and the self-employed.

Lastly, another area witnessing significant changes since June 2023 is security. Kyriakos Mitsotakis has appointed three ministers for citizen protection in nine months (Notis Mitarachi, Giannis Oikonomou and Michalis Chrysochoidis), and he would have appointed a fourth if he could muster the courage to dismiss the incumbent minister and find a replacement willing to handle the mess in this crucial area. The public is outraged by events within and outside the Agioi Anargyroi police station. People now know and they are demanding a radical overhaul of the Hellenic Police. They expect to see dismissals rather than transfers for those responsible and resignations rather than excuses from their political superiors.

Greece cannot afford to wait another three years until the next national elections, bogged down in nepotism, solidarity between prominent political dynasties, cover-ups, corruption, insecurity, economic instability, and the widening of social disparities.

Now, citizens are informed, and it is our duty to end arrogance and decline. 

The repeated warnings from the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office indicate that the Mitsotakis government is flirting with Grexit from the European democratic institutional framework. We will not allow it. Democracy in this country is a sacred cause, and we cannot leave it vulnerable to those who manipulate it to cling to power.

Stefanos Kasselakis is the president of SYRIZA.