SYRIZA chief Alexis Tsipras and New Democracy leader Vangelis Meimarakis go to Monday’s election debate with very few weapons in their arsenals. In fact, most analysts expect a lackluster confrontation with tired, unconvincing arguments and meaningless accusations between the two potential prime ministers of the next coalition government.
After Wednesday’s debate between the seven party leaders that left no one wiser about what these people will actually do in the new parliament, it is uncertain how many people will actually tune in and listen to Tsipras and Meimarakis promise things they can’t deliver. If the debate was held a day later, when the 2015-20156 Champions League begins, it is certain that the number of viewers would be far less.
Tsipras’ new campaign and his stance in tonight’s debate is based on the motto of fighting corruption and a vague “let’s get rid of the old and bring in the new.” This will be his main point in the debate. Not very convincing, when Secretary General of Public Revenue Tryfon Alexiadis – appointed by Tsipras – stated on Greek television on Monday morning that Athens does not possess the necessary tools and the sufficient personnel to prosecute major tax evaders. Or when for seven long months his government did not touch even one name from the infamous Lagarde List.
As for getting rid of the old and bringing in the new, he doesn’t have much of an argument there either because the vast majority of the leading names on the SYRIZA ballot are either old age-wise or come from the old corrupt system of unionism. Not to mention that in the seven months of his administration nepotism, cronyism and clientelism were as rampant as in the “old days.”
Meimarakis, on the other hand, will base his arguments around the notion of political stability, experience in government and the inadequacy of Tsipras, as he perceives it. He will stress that he wants to cooperate with anyone, including Tsipras, to form a coalition government and establish national unity in these difficult times. Something that his opponent says is out of the question.
The ND leader is equally unconvincing though. His party, along with junior coalition partner PASOK, had two and a half years to do the things he now promises to do and never did. The previous government did nothing to fight corruption and left the Lagarde List untouched in some drawer. His predecessor brought a harsh bailout deal that brought Greeks on their knees. And while he can accuse Tsipras of bringing an even more cruel loan agreement, he is forced to implement it.
As for cooperating with Tsipras for the benefit of the country, he sounds hypocritical. How can you cooperate with a “liar,” a “crook” and “immature” politician – as he calls Tsipras – in such critical times? Also, it is certain that Meimarakis will accuse Tsipras for closing the banks, capital controls and the strangulation of the economy.
The truth of the matter is that both candidates will go to the debate with their hands tied. Whoever wins, he will get the hot potato of implementing austerity measures and reforms that will make him unpopular.
Greek people are so tired of bogus promises that in a survey conducted regarding Wednesday’s debate, 81.6 percent said that they were not convinced by the party leaders’ arguments. Also, in the question of who do they think won the debate, 34 percent answered “no one,” while Tsipras and Meimarakis got about 14 percent each.
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