The new head-on clash between New Democracy and PASOK over developments in the wiretapping and the highly charged tone of the confrontation seem to further even further—if not permanently—any scenarios of post-election cooperation between the two parties. In fact, the narrative of a “strong Greece with a strong government” is expected to make a strong comeback in the public discourse, with the Maximos Mansion attempting to turn the official opposition’s stance into yet another argument in favor of the need for a majority government in the upcoming elections.
The government’s strategic choice is to restate—in an even more emphatic manner—the “only path” of a strong popular mandate for New Democracy and to present it as the sole reliable governing force in a fluid political landscape, in order to avoid turmoil for the country due to the looming threat of political instability.
This will be one of the key points in the rhetoric of Kyriakos Mitsotakis and top government officials, as they await the new political formations led by Alexis Tsipras, Maria Karistianou, and perhaps Antonis Samaras, which will further shake up the political landscape.
And this, starting with today’s New Democracy pre-conference in Nafplio, where the need for a majority government will be emphasized once again, while the countdown to the elections has already begun.
Of course, given the prominence the opposition intends to give to the issue of wiretapping following yesterday’s decision by the Supreme Court prosecutor, the government camp is preparing its strategy.
A defensive stance
The tone was set yesterday by government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, who erected a wall of defense for the judiciary and accused the parliamentary minority of taking a selective stance toward judicial decisions.
Mr. Marinakis made it clear that the government will not comment on judicial rulings, emphasizing its “absolute respect” for the decisions of the judiciary. At the same time, he placed particular emphasis on the fact that this is yet another ruling by a senior judicial official that aligns with previous rulings, a factor which—according to the government—strengthens the institutional credibility of the process.
He also noted that Mr. Tzavellas was not appointed by the government, but was the top vote-getter in the plenary session of the Supreme Court—that is, among all judges and prosecutors— and thus a recommendation from the judiciary to the Cabinet, which gave the green light for his promotion.
Conversely, the government’s rhetoric is directed squarely at PASOK President Nikos Androulakis, whom it accuses of taking a “dangerous” stance toward the judiciary. As the government claims, the official opposition is adopting a contradictory approach, endorsing decisions that benefit it politically and challenging those that do not align with its stance. Such practices—the government claims—undermine the institutional order and fuel toxicity in public discourse.
Against this backdrop, the New Democracy pre-conference will take place under the theme “A Modern State for All,” at which the prime minister, along with the two vice-presidents of New Democracy, Kostis Hatzidakis and Adonis Georgiadis, are expected to highlight the need for political stability in the country.
The main goal is to rally the party’s electoral base, but also to reach out to undecided voters, who continue to constitute a large percentage and a critical factor in the election outcome.