By Antonis Anzoletou

SYRIZA does not hide what it wants to achieve against New Democracy. Second place is an equally important goal by reducing the “scissors”. On the evening of June 9 in Koumoundourou, they wish to be able to say how the “game turns” ahead of the national elections which will take place, unless unforeseen, in 2027. This tactic is being followed very closely in New Democracy and they want the maximum possible rally on the way to the polls. How will this be achieved? “Choosing an opponent” and exorcising the loose vote. It is a fact that the big difference between the blue faction and the opposition has not helped to gather all the forces of the party until now. In politics you can’t talk in general, you have to aim somewhere.

The tactics to be followed were determined by both the Prime Minister yesterday from Thessaloniki and Pavlos Marinakis during the briefing of the political editors who did not leave unanswered the shots of Stefanos Kasselakis that he fired in his article in “Kathimerini”. New Democracy has a key opponent in this conflict and that appears to be SYRIZA once again. “Today I was reading the official opposition leader writing an article on why the country should go to early elections. And I was wondering: wasn’t he the same one who a few days ago in an interview set as his electoral threshold the 17% that SYRIZA got in the national elections?”, asked the Prime Minister in his speech in Polichni. He even added that “he is coming and admits that he will be the second party by a large margin, but at the same time he is calling for national elections. Why; To destabilize the country? We won’t do him any favors.” The government spokesman accused him of “asking for early elections three years ahead of time to solve his internal party problems”. In general, Piraeus Street does not consider it reasonable for a party to request an appeal to the polls just to prove that the second position it holds is not under threat. Elections are held solely to elect the next government. They understand, however, what Stefanos Kasselakis wants to achieve.

There has not been an election contest in the post-revolutionary annals where there were not two poles that clashed fiercely. It is obvious that Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in an attempt to gather all the blue forces around him and “awaken” the area of ​​the center in which he has dominated since 2019, and then chooses to confront Stefanos Kasselakis despite the great difference he has from him. New Democracy must not appear arrogant, but to choose an opponent to focus on. After all, SYRIZA shows that one of the two bets it has placed, that of second place, is winning. Mr. Kasselakis is constantly talking about the moment when he will become prime minister. What he says could not go unanswered by the Maximos Palace, as in Herodos Atticus they believe that the leader of the official opposition has brought toxicity back into the political scene by trying to polarize the climate. They estimate that he is “fishing” for a different audience than the one that voted for SYRIZA until now and to a large extent wants to win the anti-systemic vote that is difficult to measure.

It is the first time that the Euro-election has a strong flavor of European elections despite the fact that the popular verdict on the selection of a new government is delayed. The choice of an opponent by the N.D. it also has to do with the study of Stefanos Kasselakis to put early elections on the table from very early on. The prime minister from Northern Greece made it clear, as he did continuously in the previous four years, that he will exhaust his constitutional mandate. The narrative of political stability will be reinforced in the next period with government officials pointing out that a party moving in the 15% zone cannot guarantee the strengthening of institutions and the smooth operation of the economy. Therefore a change of “street” or a protest vote cannot bring any result. Despite the fact that SYRIZA has entered the target of Piraeus for good, it is a fact that PASOK, which has recently been renamed “green SYRIZA” in order to identify itself with Koumoundourou, will not be immune either. The Greek solution is also closely watched, knowing in the blue camp that the pressure they are receiving from their right, especially in Northern Greece, is great.