A new political situation

The gates of Eden have not reopened after the conclusion of Greece’s second review of its third bailout and the momentary access to international markets. And neither of these factors, of course, led to our redemption. Stabilization was achieved for a limited period of time, and all will depend on the wisdom that the Greek government is obliged to demonstrate – and on the developments at the European and international levels, where there is worrying volatility. Last month saw the dramatic change – which was two years in the making and with serious consequences for the economy – of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras from an ambitious politician bent on overturning the European order of things to an interlocutor with some measure of credibility, adhering to Northern European criteria. There is no point in examining whether the stance of the opposition parties of the “European Crescent” was correct or not. Nor do we need to examine the merits of the “theory of two extremes,” which failed, at the end of the day, to yield any political benefits to New Democracy and PASOK in the 2015 elections. The point is that a new reality has arisen, which the opposition must seriously take into consideration. The “revelations” by former finance minister Ya- nis Varoufakis about what occurred during the first six months of 2015 no longer serve to undermine Tsipras. The recycling of officials of the Communist Left in the 1990s was institutionalized in the West in an irreversible manner. They are the agents of the disruption of the Right and for the promotion of internationalist tendencies in Europe. Tsipras had the unique fortune to complete the negotiations halfway through his government’s mandate. In theory he has more than two years to promote purely class-based policy, and to turn on his political opponents. In short, the government has secured – or at least be- lieves it has – a new narrative: “harmonization with the European order of things, while enhancing the welfare state.” He is not faced with electoral clashes within local government, he does not live with the concerns over the election of a new Greek president, and he has the most disciplined parliamentary group in decades. The time factor no longer works against Tsipras, and this makes it incumbent on opposition parties to formulate a new strategy. Calling out the government is not enough. There is a need now for a new “discourse” emanating from the opposition. The activation of the mind has never harmed anyone.