It doesn’t take a brilliant political brain to realize the Opposition is in complete and utter disarray; it’s clear to anyone with eyes in their head. And it’s going to be another two or three months, maybe more, before they’ve managed to work through their multiple issues.
It’s not a pleasant sight. Because who wouldn’t want a serious, effective Opposition worth the name?
Not one that does its utmost to undo what the Government does, mind. But while countries aren’t run by their oppositions, neither can they progress and get ahead without a combative Opposition that’s worth its salt.
Even more so since the last two elections and their sequel have bequeathed us a bizarre Parliament with “one dominant party plus some small change”.
We’re talking about a power imbalance unprecedented in the history of Greece since the Metapolitefsi of 1974; no party has ever been so dominant, not even the triumphant PASOK of the 1980s under Andreas Papandreou. They enjoyed a large majority, sure, but they had an Opposition opposite them that was considerably much powerful than the “small change” of today.
And the politicians called upon to operate in this strange situation are finding it very hard to adapt. The Opposition, of course, but also—weirdly—the Government.
Which seems to be taken aback every time it realizes that it is essentially unopposed.
Which is a shame. Because I don’t know when God and the Greek electorate will give us an opportunity like this again—an opportunity which, till now, has been squandered on secondary and minor issues, with no grand road map for change or agenda for meaningful reform.
Call me hard to please, but I can’t herald the ban on mobile phones in schools (which had been banned, in any case, since 2006) as marking the start of something new, or accept that a capital city should flood at the first drop of rain.
In other words, the absence of an Opposition cannot and should not be used as an excuse for turning Greece into a country of low expectations.
There’s a risk this could happen. If it does, the blame will fall squarely on a government that didn’t feel the need to roll out a more ambitious plan for the country when it could actually do so.
I’m sure every government understands the critical importance of immigration, social marginalization, health, insurance, the environment, education and so many other areas. With or without an opposition to point it out to them.
It’s just that I’m not at all certain this administration feels the need for a comprehensive plan that could disturb the blissful inertia it has been fortunate enough to enjoy from its unprecedented position of power. I’m not sure it wants to grab the opportunity it’s been given to move the country up a class.
