All dates after April are open to hold national elections, Greek media quoted government sources as saying, but the ongoing “Greek Watergate” scandal means that the elections will be held in a toxic atmosphere.
“The prime minister [Kyriakos Mitsotakis] is consistent in his commitment to hold elections at the end of the mandate”, and “he will determine himself what is the appropriate date from April onwards”, the source said.
Most polls indicate that the conservative New Democracy government (EPP) will win the elections, however, a new electoral law will be applied, and it’s highly likely that a second round will be needed to form a majority government.
Leftist Syriza party (EU Left) ranks second, followed by the Greek socialists (Pasok). The latter will likely play the kingmaker’s role in forming a coalition government.
Several analysts doubt whether New Democracy (EPP) will find a partner to form a coalition government, considering that Syriza has wholly ruled it out while Pasok has not taken any clear position yet.
Things got complicated after it was revealed that Pasok’s leader Nikos Androulakis found that Greek secret services bugged his phone in the so-called “Greek Watergate” scandal, which has shaken the country for months.
The government has admitted his surveillance but has so far refused to explain why citing national security reasons.
Pasok has so far been sending contradictory messages.
On Thursday, former minister and member of Pasok Katerina Mpatzeli told the leftist radio station “The Kokkino” that it would be “politically weird” for Pasok to collaborate with New Democracy with Kyriakos Mitsotakis as prime minister.
However, she left the door open for collaboration with another leader.
But Pasok leader Androulakis said in early December that the party should remain united and push for a “progressive” change to overturn the country’s establishment.
“These progressive ideas will send New Democracy to the opposition and create a progressive government with Pasok as the protagonist,” Androulakis said
‘Qatargate’ reshuffles the cards ahead of Greek elections
The Belgian authorities’ corruption probe implicating World Cup hosts Qatar that led to the arrest of Greek MEP and European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili has caused political earthquake in Athens ahead of crucial elections due next year.
Meanwhile, more media reports suggest that further politicians, journalists and businessmen have been under surveillance.
Earlier this week, Eleni Touloupaki, Greece’s former head of the Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, who investigated the scandal involving Novartis pharma company, asked the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy (ADAE) to check whether her phone was bugged.
Investigative journalist Kostas Vaxevanis, who the government has targeted for his “Greek Watergate” revelations, did the same on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Greece’s privacy watchdog ADAE, an independent authority whose role is provided in the Constitution, decided to set up a special team to check the records of all telecommunication companies to see if Greek secret services have asked for the waiving of confidentiality of phone calls for specific people.
Critics suggest that the political puzzle will become more complex if more people are proven to be under surveillance before the elections.
For its part, Syriza is eyeing a coalition with the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok), the official member of the Party of European Socialists (PES).
Syriza is affiliated with the European Left, however, its leader Alexis Tsipras participates as an observer in the PES gatherings.
A PES source told EURACTIV in December 2022 that “Pasok is our member, but ideologically, we are on the same page with Tsipras”.
In an interview with EURACTIV last June, Tsipras said he respected Pasok’s choice to keep its distance in the pre-election period but noted that it should show its cards at some point.
Asked about the stance of EU socialists on the matter, he replied:
“The EU socialists obviously want a progressive government in Greece with the cooperation of the largest party of the wider Left, with the smaller party in this area of the centre-left. This is what they would like; it is obvious”.
(Sarantis Michalopoulos | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
