By Dora Antoniou

Can the prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakisto place the announcement of his decisions on the Presidential election in the period after mid-January, however very difficult the “pre-election» will stop. On the one hand, the persistent scenarios for possible nominations give and take, and on the other hand, there are also the political initiatives of other parties that fuel the debate. At the same time, polling companies are also entering the picture, including questions about the Presidential election in their surveys. In a GPO poll on Parapolitical FMs that was made public yesterday, 64.6% of the respondents answered that they want another person in the Presidency of the Republic, while 23.4% were in favor of Mrs. Sakellaropoulou.

At the same time, the nomenclature surrounding potential candidates has its own semiotics in terms of current political developments. When, a few months ago, the debate opened with various scenarios regarding the possible choices of the prime minister, they were dominated by the opinion that Kyriakos Mitsotakis, under intra-party pressure from the result of the European elections, will seek to satisfy the partisan sentiment of MPs and voters and will move in the logic of a factional choice.

With this reasoning, the names of the President of the Parliament were heard as possible options, Konstantinou Tasoulaand the Minister of Defense, Nikos Dendias. Even the reports about the possible candidacy of Louka Papadimou and Yiannis Stournaras they also referred to the acceptance they would have among the internal party audience, as the ND supported the government of the former, while the latter participated in the government of Antonis Samaras.

It does not go unnoticed that this debate in recent days, after the debate in Parliament on the budget, from which Mr. Mitsotakis came out undoubtedly strengthened, he has acquired other characteristics. New names are added to the scenarios being heard, while the accompanying analysis is that the prime minister will move with a view to an option that will secure wider support. Obviously because the intra-party pressure has subsided, which would make a factional choice a one-way street.

Thus, in the last few days, the names of Maria Damanaki, Linas Mendoni and Maria Efthymiouwhile there are also reports that a re-candidacy of Ms. Sakellaropoulou.

This change in the nomenclature of the Presidential election is linked to assessments by officials of the ruling faction that Kyriakos Mitsotakis feels that he has regained lost ground and is once again dominant in the political landscape.

Therefore, he can move more freely in his choice. The same executives argue that a choice with factional characteristics may have served the logic of maintaining intra-party balances, however it would perhaps be inconsistent with the supra-party profile of the politician who can “conversate” with wider political audiences, which the Prime Minister has built.

At the same time, food for the nomenclature of the Presidential election is expected to be given by other sides. The movement launched with the proposal of the New Left for the candidacy of Christos Rammos is expected to continue emanating from SYRIZA. In Koumoundourou they want to show that they are the political force of the progressive area that can come forward and take a relevant initiative.

Certainly, the leadership of SYRIZA is also looking forward to exerting pressure on the side of PASOK, which has declared in all tones that it will refrain from scenarios and an early start of the debate. This will not prevent Koumoundourou from accusing those who avoid rallying behind a proposal of her own that they do not wish to form a progressive front against the government.