It is now clear that the wider democratic space that should normally make a competitor tremble to the “extreme center” and the extreme rightis in the midst of a deep crisis of identity and political stigma, an almost existential crisis.
If the symptom of this crisis is the fact that there is an atmosphere of doubt in the leadership, which in the case of SYRIZA took the form of an undeclared war against Stephanos Kaselakis, and in the case of PASOK – the announcement of leadership elections, the essence of the problem lies in something else: in the stunning inability to create a political discourse based on programmatic principles and to create an alternative governance perspective capable of positively inspiring and mobilizing a society that currently feels both disaffected by government policies and deprived of a meaningful alternative.
This failure to produce meaningful policy is pervasive all wings, tendencies and factions involved, -which, by the way, until recently were differentiated according to an ideological sign, now the criterion seems to be purely person-centered, and the motivation is rather selfish, leading to the violation of critical red lines. The same ones that protect political spaces from cutting down the branch on which they sit.
One such example is all the efforts of existence through repeated allusions to “black funds” “shadows” for her financial management of the previous leadership of SYRIZA, on which there was not the slightest shadow for 15 years and even political opponents, who would have every reason to seek it, could not spoil the image.
The question is very serious for two reasons: the first concerns the moral characteristics of the left, because anyone who knows the history of left parties in our country knows that they have always had good financial management. Even if they had financial problems, such phenomena were never recorded. Party financial management was one of the spheres where “moral superiority” was recorded.
Second, by their nature, accusations of mismanagement of party finances are among the most “toxic” that can exist in the political space, especially on the left. Because with the one with whom there are political differences, you can find a common language and coexist. Not with what you consider a marauder.
So these are not words that can be spoken and written lightly, especially when a far-right populist hides with injustice and levels “all the same” as his favorite candy. These are accusations that could cause irreparable damage to the political space and lead to further alienation of fans and voters. Arrows that could poison political life as a whole, leading to a level of abstinence dangerous to democracy.
Another reason – and as it has become clear that there is no real problem – this rhetoric must stop before it does more damage than it has already done.
Also, let everyone and everyone consider that this is not about deconstructing intra-party rivals, real or imagined, especially if the result is an even greater deconstruction of the political space itself.
The question is to finally hold a political debate and present political proposals and programs that will show whether we are really talking about an alternative government.
This is what everyone who “applies for a role” today is judged by. Not from the ability to speculate on all kinds of “shadows”.
And anyone who can’t rise to the challenge should at least have the self-awareness and dignity to step aside so that those who really can can come to the fore.