Does the Greek political scene produce news for international media of the same magnitude as what we record and consume here – and in our own media – regarding developments in France, the United Kingdom, or Austria?
Is Alexis Tsipras’s resignation and his supposed new party making international headlines? Does it concern any British or German citizen whether Kyriakos Mitsotakis greeted Kostas Karamanlis at a book presentation? Obviously not.
No one out there is paying attention to the Greek political reality show of recent months – and probably never will, unless an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office arises. No one cares about a pre-election debate that began the day after the national elections and refuses to end, even if new ballots were set up tomorrow.
The Greek, on the other hand – especially the politician – is addicted to discussion without substance. Political parties prefer to “produce policy,” as PASOK’s side has recently said regarding its much-discussed government program, but not necessarily to implement it.
And while the Greek Parliament spends its days and nights on internal disputes and rhetorical games of impression, Europe around us is changing. The balance of power is shifting; the EU and its member states are turning toward more horizontal policies, pressured by the new order of things brought by Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The American president may not have won the long-desired Nobel Peace Prize – and there seems to be no other award on the horizon, not even the Golden Globe “Cecil B. DeMille” Award given to those who contribute significantly to entertainment – but that will not slow him down. A good businessman does not dwell on failure; he immediately moves on to the next deal. And while Trump may not be considered a great politician, we must not forget that he is a very effective businessman.
Greece, with its position among energy, defense, and geopolitical deals, has a unique opportunity to play a substantive role in the region of Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean. To achieve this, it needs focus on policy, not on its communication. The New Democracy government has less than two years to keep the country standing amid tight economic indicators, to produce reformative work rather than a pre-election storm of measures, while the opposition has the same amount of time to claim the driver’s seat.
Has either side, however, realized the dangerous and low-visibility turns ahead?
