Editorial: Annulment

It is by now clear that SYRIZA’s supposed opening to the centre-left has caused fissures in the Movement for Change.

It is also evident that this opening has had an impact. From the intra-party reactions one can conclude that it has harmed SYRIZA by creating a rupture within its ranks.

The ruling party did not benefit. Instead, it has been harmed for obvious reasons.

The much-touted political expansion was not judged by the actions of the PM, but rather by those who responded. They were described with nasty terms such as remnants, unwanted, carpetbaggers, mercenaries, chasers of offices, orphans, and willing.

One cannot but agree that the manner in which certaing Pasok cadres moved to SYRIZA creates the impression that the PM is in panic and that the individuals he has attracted are simply political opportunists.

That impression is bolstered by the fact that some of these former Pasok cadres were in the circle of an extremely powerful Pasok minister who was convicted and jailed for corruption.

That relationship does not mean that these politicians are corrupt. Yet, a party that vehemently condemned “old-style” politics seems to have ended up emulating the practices of former ruling parties.

By opening its doors to politicians that the centre-left has expelled, SYRIZA has annulled its own political narrative.