Opportunity in the shadow of quarrels
It is hard to imagine SYRIZA emerging from the upcoming meeting of its central committee with its wounds healed and not further divided. This bestows even greater importance on PASOK’s search for a new leader, as candidates can now address themselves to a political area much larger than that of their party. The successive earthquakes in SYRIZA have nothing to do with ideological differences, or disagreements over policy. They show that when a party does not have political proposals but relies solely on accusations and belligerence, it is bound by these practices on the domestic front, too. In short, even if there is some kind of truce in coming days, it will be fragile.
And so, PASOK’s central committee meeting of September 15 becomes even more important than if it were simply part of the process for choosing a new party leader. Because this is where the candidates will present their political proposals. Whatever the current and future leaders of PASOK and SYRIZA might desire, these proposals will attract the interest of the entire center-left. In recent months, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has made a clear turn to the right (despite his political career having been based on centrist voters), making it even more evident that the political center is up for grabs. So, the proposals that will be presented on September 15 will be able to upset the predictions for the PASOK contest and attract voters to the party. As long as the proposals will express a spirt of renewal, and not just aim at managing party mechanisms, relying on old mentalities. As long as some proposal will inspire confidence, analyzing clearly and rationally the challenges of the time, suggesting solutions that people will believe in. Today, Mitsotakis is throwing the government’s weight into the war on high prices, into reform and infrastructure improvements. If the new PASOK leader can duel with him on this plain of everyday concerns, but also persuade people that he or she has the vision for a country that is safe, creative and just – a country that is stable but as inventive as its people – the voters will follow.
In the space opened by interminable fights and arrogance, we might see a political proposal which our country needs so badly.
