By Antonis Anzoletou

The countdown has already begun in party headquarters for the European elections that will take place across Europe from June 6-9, 2024.

It will be almost a year since the national polls and it is expected to be the first serious crash test for all parliamentary forces.

First of all, the government will be asked to prove that it is still the absolute ruler in the area of ​​the center. For the entire opposition, things are particularly difficult based on the large “slice” that separates it from the New Democracy, as the opinion polls showed last week.

THE SYRIZA wishes to remain the main pole of the center-left and stop its downward course, while in PASOK they see an opportunity to recreate the old dipole with the blue faction. In the KKE they estimate that they can get even stronger from the left parties. And for her extreme right apartment building, but the Euro elections will be a “clarification”.

Everyone is now waiting for Kyriakos Mitsotakis to announce the manner in which they will be held. After studying the relevant recommendations this can be done before Christmas. He has promised that they will be done with a crosstherefore the initial thoughts to restore the list have “burned out”.

The country will be divided into regions or will the current system with the single ballot be maintained nationwide? For the first case, a special study is required, as the seats will be distributed according to the population. So far, there has been no intervention as to whether there is a constitutional issue due to the fact that the MEPs represent the entire region and not just Crete or the Peloponnese which will elect some MEPs if there is a split.

Certainly the distribution of seats will affect the strength that each party will register. And of course in this case at the local level there is expected to be a mobilization, as the elections to a very large extent will resemble the recently concluded regional ones.

This does not apply if the current system remains in place. Simply, once again the “star system” will prevail by “disappearing” or giving small possibilities to competent candidates with a rich resume who have dealt with the European edifice to be elected. This was from the beginning the great objection of many government officials, but also of the opposition.

It is difficult to assess what is “comfortable” for each party at the moment in relation to the European elections and the 21 who will get the ticket for Brussels and Strasbourg. The New Democracy “suffered” a lot from the “rebels” in the recent self-governing polls and it is very likely that similar gatherings will be caused if there is a division of regions.

Both SYRIZA and PASOK went through “difficult times”. While it is a fact that only with the list each captain can check which will be his Euro team. There have been several conflicts in the five years that are coming to an end. The only thing that is certain is that all forces will attempt to make a significant “lift” in their ballots.