By Dora Antoniou

Shift to the right recorded yesterday the pendulum of the debate on the selection of a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic. The conflict of the government representative, Pavlos Marinakiswith PASOK for the possible choices of government partners of the main opposition party, did not go unnoticed.

Two to three days before the expected announcement of his selection Kyriakou Mitsotakis for the Presidency of the Republic, the formation of a conflicting climate with PASOK does anything but serve to strengthen the climate of unity and consensus ahead of the presidential election. There are not a few who believe that after yesterday’s development, the scope for choosing a candidate from the so-called progressive, center-left space is probably narrowing and the scenario of a factional choice, with the name of Konstantinou Tasoula to remain the strongest candidate.

In short, logic dictates that you don’t open a front with someone if you intend to move in a logic of seeking consent. Also, the tone and argumentation, yesterday, of the government representative for the Center-Left as a whole, probably assumes that there is no prospect of selecting a candidate from this area.

Yesterday’s confrontation started on the occasion of his statement Nikos Androulakisin the context of an interview (SKAI) that there is no possibility for PASOK to co-govern with New Democracy and that there are three possibilities: either independent governments of PASOK, of the ND, or a government with PASOK and some other parties or government of N.D. with some other parties. “The country needs a serious Center-Left and a Center-Right” he added.

The government representative, answering a relevant question in the context of the political editors’ briefing, raised his voice and went on to counterattack, saying that in essence the president of PASOK said that by voting for PASOK the citizens will vote for SYRIZA or the New Left or the KKE. “Voting for PASOK, supporting PASOK, its president clearly told us with whom he will govern, who are you actually voting for behind this choice” he reported.

As expected, the reinstatement of the argumentation of PASOK’s identification with SYRIZA provoked the reaction of Harilaou Trikoupis, with the representative of the main opposition party, Kostas Tsoukalasto speak of a “record of populism” on the part of a government representative.

Government sources continued by commenting that “for PASOK to talk about populism, on the same day that its president announced an alliance with those who have made him a profession, is self-indulgently hypocritical”.

The high tones on both sides do not predispose to a mood of complicity in the presidential election. And the fact that this line of reasoning was adopted by the government is taken as confirmation by those who believe that a candidacy that will create a climate of consensus and wider support is not expected.

Well, the scenario of factional candidacy is automatically reinforced. As well as the prospect of a continuation of the conflict focusing on the decision to be announced, as Mr. Androulakis confirmed yesterday that his party remains unmoved from its position for a candidate who will not come from the government camp, but from the progressive space.