In 2015, Alexis Tsipras was making massive purchases from the top left shelf of PASOK, making high-profile recruitments that turned SYRIZA into the ruling party.
In 2026, PASOK will take back from SYRIZA only those whom the former prime minister does not want in ELAS. And that’s not all. The once-powerful movement, in order to secure these additions (its former officials, whom not even God could truly turn into “expansion”), is violating the rules it had set for “years in Parliament,” etc. In contrast, President Alexis, who has already put the angry Nikos trailing behind him in the polls, sets conditions and enforces them. Even dissolving political parties.
From these first few weeks of the family double act in the Center-Left, it has already become obvious that on one side (PASOK) there are some weary old-timers (who treat Andreas Papandreou as if he were still present), and on the other, beardless youngsters who may spout nonsense but appear carefree. They arouse curiosity and feelings of support. The “Red Cat” visited yesterday the offices of a leading pollster in the northern suburbs, perched on his windowsill and overheard an interesting conversation with a politician friend of his (a “green” who never changed), who was sitting on the couch with him enjoying a freddo espresso.
Politician: “People say whatever they want about Tsipras’s staff, but the public will soon catch on to them.”
Pollster: “For now, the second string is on the field; they’re getting playing time—and thus experience—and those providing support are refining their arguments for deconstructing the opposition, so they’ll gradually improve.”
Politician: “Meaning?”
Pollster: “The game will be decided when the first team takes the field.”
And the classic cat’s question: If Nikos Androulakis brings Theodora Tzakri back to PASOK, will it be good or bad for Stefanos Kasselakis? Will it be good or bad for Alexis Tsipras? Is anyone over at Harilaou Trikoupi keeping track of how the party’s voters—who for 15 years have watched their former comrades—who moved over to SYRIZA—view these comebacks (disasters)? the party’s voters, who for 15 years watched their former comrades—who defected to SYRIZA for their political survival—mock them? And now they want to do the same thing again (survive politically) by coming back. Simply because they are now unwelcome to Alexis Tsipras.
What a country
At some point yesterday, the “Red Cat” came face-to-face with the news that the president of the Hellenic Police, who is already —according to his own statements—an official opposition figure without actually being in Parliament (truly strange things), had formed… a shadow government.
Another one of those “preparing for the future” types has found us. What a crazy country. But it’s worth sharing our Cat’s thoughts with you: “The news about Alexis’s shadow government is that there is no news.” In other words, he brought in unknown figures so he could claim he’s bringing something new to politics, and then… a Kinder Surprise. We’re talking about the man who promised to tear up the memoranda—with half the party believing him—and did the exact opposite. So everyone can imagine what he’ll say and do when surrounded by officials whose views no one knows.
In any case, our Cat continues to monitor President Alexis’s social media for any activity. Well, as of the time these lines were written (editor’s note: a truly wonderful journalistic cliché for all those who heroically persist in publishing newspapers), everything was… quiet. This wretched digital age! You make a couple of phone calls, read and approve a list they gave you, and you’re all set. Or so you think, at least.
Oh! The times, oh! The customs
We live in an era when Stefanos Kasselakis is interviewing Adonis Georgiadis, and where the account “Pen Dalaoura” account praises—not Theoni—but Nikos Hatzinikolaou, who subsequently invited the ousted president of SYRIZA onto their show! “Nikos @Nchatzinikolaou slams the Tsiprolagni and the followers of Tsipras’s cult”, the post begins, and continues: “An excellent initiative by @Directbysk, with Stefanos @skasselakis hosting Adonis @AdonisGeorgiadi”. My God, who am I, poor old Cat? Where is our world headed? What kind of world are kittens growing up in?
There’s more to come
And then… it takes off: “A high-level debate between two political rivals meeting European standards, featuring substantive arguments and political debate—not the fireworks and shouting matches we’ve grown accustomed to in Greece—and both political rivals deserve congratulations for this exceptional initiative, where citizens were given a direct voice through a party leader and a government minister.” Could this be AI? Like the videos created by Zoe Konstantopoulou that show the prime minister starring in various fantasies of hers?
No originality, unbearable repetition
“Greek Left Coalition”—Alexis. “Together, Left, Forward” by Gabriel Sakellaridis. In other words, ELAS versus… MAM! No problem, we’ll remember that easily, but doesn’t “together” remind you a little of PASOK (ed. note: Simitis’s “all together”) and wasn’t “forward” the New Democracy slogan in the previous elections? They could even run their slogan through some AI apps to double-check it.
P.S.: To avoid any misunderstanding, the very likable Gabriel, who… embraced the legacy of the New Left, did not change the party’s name. We’re referring to his main slogan on his Facebook page.
