By Antonis Anzoletou

The debate about progressive or non-progressive forces opened wide with the same-sex civil marriage bill. The public consultation was completed last night and now the new regulations are in the final stretch with their imminent submission to the Parliament. All forces had something to say and some to answer to, since the current affairs were monopolized by this particular issue. And first of all, New Democracy. THE Kyriakos Mitsotakis he has seen that from 2019 onwards his party is not the same. The world that brought the blue faction to power in 2004 or 2012 is different and today is another. The center brought the party founded by Konstantinos Karamanlis back into government about five years ago and in this space it must be maintained. In simple words, those New Democracy voters who have already moved to the right and choose the Greek Solution or Niki will find it very difficult to return to their base.

The prime minister was not afraid to do a “test” within his parliamentary group. He knew that in 2015 MPs and current ministers either did not vote or abstained from the cohabitation agreement brought to the Parliament by SYRIZA. Nevertheless, he wanted to show that times are changing. The fewer the losses it will have, the stronger will be the signal that the “umbilical cord” with the middle space has not been cut. At the moment the majority does not seem to count on about 30 votes in the caucus. Discussions, however, continue.

For SYRIZA, things are completely different. No one can know even now whether – through abstinence – differences are recorded. The “suspects” are Athena Linou and Vasilis Kokkalis raising issues specific to the adoption issue. Alexandros Meikopoulos, despite the objections he had initially expressed, has declared that he will vote for the bill. As for Pavlos Polakis, his vote was a mystery until the last moment. In this climate, it is also not clear whether the party discipline imposed by Stefanos Kasselakis has weakened especially for the possibility of abstention.

And for PASOK, things are not clear. As Harilaou Trikoupi points out, the institution of equality in marriage is a timeless programmatic position of the movement. As far as the child-rearing part is concerned, they will weigh the interest of the child. The issue of party discipline never came up. Most of all, at PASOK have been troubled by the attitude of the member of parliament of Lesvos Panagiotis Paraskevaidis. The staff members of the parliamentary group have already intervened and what they emphasize is that in public speech, everyone must follow a specific framework of speech. Stavros Michaelidis has also publicly expressed his objections. Based on what has been said and in the closed meetings held, more than 10 people have expressed serious reservations. A dialogue is ongoing in Harilaou Trikoupi and many estimate that the number of dissidents will eventually be in the single digits.

Disagreements still express the KKE with the Central Committee clarifying with its decision that on principle it will say no to the bill. From the New Left, the “yes” to the bill that will be brought by the New Democracy was clear from the beginning, launching an attack on Perissos for Dimitris Koutsoubas’ report to the Parliament that the marriage of same-sex couples means the abolition of paternity and motherhood. Zoe Konstantopoulou, the president of Plefsis Eleftheria, has spoken in favor of marriage and childbearing for same-sex couples.