Ten days after PASOK’s internal elections and with SYRIZA’s dissolution and PASOK solidifying its second-place position in all polls, today’s parliamentary debate on natural disasters takes on highly interesting political dimensions. It will serve as a “rehearsal” for the political clash going forward, with the government increasingly locking horns with PASOK, signaling a revival of the old two-party system.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis will attend to respond to the discussion requested in mid-August by PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, evaluating the fire prevention season. Government officials highlight that it could be seen as highly successful if not for the “blot” of the large fire in Attica. Nonetheless, sources emphasize that compared to other fire seasons, much less forested land was burned, and the new operational strategy focused on immediate response seemed to be effective. Meanwhile, the government is implementing the AIGIS plan for re-equipping Civil Protection.

More broadly, today’s conflict is just a preview, with the possibility of Mitsotakis meeting Androulakis still pending after the prime minister’s phone invitation on the night of his electoral victory. “Let’s see if anything has changed or if it’s the same Androulakis,” Mitsotakis has reportedly told associates, referring to PASOK’s inconsistent stance on key reforms in the past.

“You Didn’t Start Well”

One of the reforms the government expected PASOK to support more positively was the Interior Ministry’s bill for ASEP (Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection) reform, which aimed to streamline procedures and timelines.

“You didn’t start well, as you’re not voting for a bill that has positive elements,” said Interior Minister Theodoros Livanios, addressing PASOK’s Member of Parliament Panagiotis Doudonis, who led the parliamentary opposition on the matter.

The government will continue pushing for consensus with PASOK on a number of crucial issues where agreement could be reached. One likely area of agreement, albeit later on, is the suspension of funding for the “Spartans” party, which faces legal issues as a continuation of Golden Dawn. While Livanios didn’t accept PASOK’s amendment, he promised that the government would bring forward relevant legislation later based on judicial developments.