Despite whatever assurances by some … ministers and warnings by the opposition to avoid at all costs, the specter of a snap election in September refuses to disappear.
Another election in crisis-battered Greece would bring to … three the number of times voters headed to the polls in 2015, the first coming on Jan. 25 when SYRIZA won a plurality of the general vote and assumed power, and then again on July 5 during a hastily called referendum on bailout terms of one version of a deal offered by creditors and then removed.
A categorically statement by the government precluding the possibility has not be aired.
The idea of snap elections comes in light of the coalition SYRIZA-AN.EL government’s loss of a majority in Parliament, given that less than 150 MPs from both parties approved of a recent framework for an agreement with European creditors or a subsequent vote on “prior actions”. Both ratifications were achieved with the overwhelming support of the opposition, nevertheless.
At present, some 35 to 40 SYRIZA deputies out of the 149 the party fields in Parliament, all espousing various flavors of far-left ideology, are considered as “dissidents”.
The next crucial date comes in late August, when the Greek Parliament will be called on to vote the third memorandum.
At that point, PM Alexis Tsipras will again face the possibility of only 120 to 130 MPs of his own deputies voting in favor. The fact that he has already ruled out a coalition with the pro-EU and pro-euro bloc of opposition parties (ND, Potami and PASOK) leaves open the “plan B” possibility of yet another trip to the ballot box.
Theodorakis
On his part, the leader of the centrist Potami party, Stavros Theodorakis, continued to step up his criticism of the leftist government.
The one-time television journalist said the risk of Grexit has not passed and that there are still some quarters eagerly working for and anticipating such a scenario.
He also took aim again at controversial Parliament President Zoe Konstantopoulou, saying “we’re prey to a lady who thinks she’s above the prime minister.”
Parliament VP
Parliament vice-president Alexis Mitropoulos, on his part, warned of a “storm for the government coming in September,” although he said he was against another early election.
The well-known labor attorney said the tide of dissatisfaction was immense and could not be managed alone by ruling SYRIZA.
Minister of State
Finally, Minister of State Alekos Flabouraris, a veteran leftist considered as one of Tsipras’ closest aides and even a previous political mentor, called on dissidents to “wake up and return (to the fold).
“There is a leftist government in the country for the first time, and it’s unthinkable, for me at least, that its ministers don’t provide a vote of confidence … They should realize that we are the government and not the opposition … choices are: stay and facilitate (developments) or leave”.
