The government navigated the immunity crisis without casualties, staving off a potential rebellion or expression of distrust from its MPs.

But its ordeal is not yet at an end.

Not because the European Public Prosecutor’s Office keeps on brandishing the scourge of actual or alleged cases. But because it is obvious that there is a plan that will go all the way.

One which the government has not been able to thwart.

It’s up to the administration, and it alone, to react convincingly and effectively. No one will be cutting the government any slack—so New Democracy can thank its lucky stars the Opposition has retreated into a world of its own.

The government was counting on the announcement of additional measures to improve the climate. But it is far from certain that the type and scale of the measures announced will yield any palpable political dividends.

We’ve known for months that Greek households are struggling, and the diminutive handouts probably won’t be welcomed as a convincing response to the cost-of-living crisis.

What’s left? Two options.

The government has either to construct a narrative that will take it through convincingly to the elections.

Or it will have to cross its fingers and go to the polls early. Either way, it can still face the elections from a position of strength.

But for how much longer? No one knows.

The opposition parties seem to lack mass appeal, and the same seems true of the new parties waiting in the wings.

Which illustrates the government’s advantage: even the most unfavorable polls don’t so much as hint at an alternative solution taking shape.

But we knew that. Still, it’s not an edge that will last indefinitely, or one that’s a good fit for all contingencies.

All the more so as the path of litigation the country finds itself on—and the ‘lawfare’ the Opposition has opted for—promises a good many twists and turns ahead.

So, it’s not enough to simply invoke the prospect of elections; besides, no one is forcing the government to bring them forward.

Which leads us back to the first option: that the government has to build a narrative anyway, regardless of the timing of the elections.

For one simple reason: Because the narrative that brought it to power and kept it there has lost its luster. And now needs to be replaced, or at least reinforced.

I don’t know which Cabinet member—if any—is working on it… Although the saga of MP immunity made it crystal clear not everyone’s on the same page.

It’s a tough one to manage. Especially when some people aren’t even in the same book.