Of Dora Antoniou

The feeling of relief in the staffs of both the prime minister and the president of PASOK was widespread after the conclusion of yesterday’s meeting between Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Nikos Androulakis.

That alone speaks volumes for the low expectations that existed and the worry that it could all go wrong.

The duration of the meeting, almost an hour and a half, was the first indication that their colleagues had that behind the closed doors of the Prime Minister’s office in the Parliament, a substantial discussion is taking place.

And when the doors opened, it was confirmed. Both Mr. Mitsotakis as well as Mr. Androulakis had a lot to say about what preceded. Central finding, the recognition that the framework for an open channel of communication was established, which should predispose us to less dramatization around their future meetings.

For both the prime minister and the leader of the official opposition it is particularly important that this normality exists. It is within the scope of their duties to meet and converse. For what needs to be sought for consensus, for what they can agree on, so that their implementation can be done in better political terms, even for what they disagree on, there is an analytical exchange of arguments, which helps to understand the other side.

At the same time, for both, there are tangible political benefits from yesterday’s good image conveyed by their meeting. The prime minister has consistently sought concessions, as he and his staff see this as enhancing the profile of the moderate politician he consciously wishes to project. In the staff of Mr. Androulakis believe that yesterday’s meeting showed that he can carry the special burden that his role as the head of the official opposition requires and can be consensual where needed, without retreating from his opposition role in the government’s policies with which he disagrees.

Yesterday’s meeting also highlights the dominant opposition duopoly in the central political scene, while in terms of communication as well as political substance it is important for both of them to have a specific political opponent against them and to formulate their strategy based on this fact.

The Prime Minister’s staff acknowledge that this has been missing for some time and certainly from the 2023 national elections onwards. As it is implied, neither Stefanos Kasselakis nor Nikos Pappas, with whom the prime minister refused to “convers” politically, managed to claim to be the head of the official opposition. Yesterday’s meeting left a much better impression on Mr. Androulakis.

On the part of Harilaou Trikoupis, they consider it positive that the proposals of the president of PASOK were listened to carefully, that a field of agreement was formed on some of them, but also that the knowledge she showed that she has on major issues, such as foreign affairs issues, seemed to be appreciated. policy.

Of course, today is another day. The debate in the Parliament on labor and the minimum wage lays the carpet for a tough confrontation, which is discounted.