It went well. A lot of people came. Positive messages. Phrases like those that were said in discussions between “fellow scientists” immediately after the presentation of the European ballot, last Thursday in Freedom Park, about the battle of June 9, largely summarize the climate in the New Left 40 days before the election.
A week before just five months have passed since its formation as a single political entity, the party that emerged from the bowels of SYRIZA has not had much time to consolidate itself on the center stage. The fact that its cellular tissue consists of experienced and already featured executives who even hold parliamentary seats allows him to win the “television air” and to be shown a lot in the media.
On the other hand, he bears the burden of proving in a very short time how it does have the power in order to establish itself as a thriving entity that will play a role in the next day of the progressive arc, unhooked from its past. That it is not a firework that will go out very quickly.
Insisting that “we are not all the same”, as Alexis Haritsis underlined in Thursday’s speech, the New Left is running after that coveted 3% which, in the best case scenario, will secure it a seat and the ability to articulate a “voice” in the European Parliament.
In the voting intention, it sometimes appears above and sometimes below the threshold in question. However, it is estimated that it will more easily or more marginally manage to fulfill its fundamental goal in this first test to evaluate its dynamics. If it is even combined with the sixth or seventh place in the ranking order, the credits will increase justifiably.
Bets a lot on faces
Out of necessity at this early stage of its existence it makes sense to rely on persons with a political past, recognition and popularity. The ballot created was characterized by the leadership of the faction as “renewable and radical”, far from “patriotic nominations” or “transfers on football terms”.
It is true that in this one meets representatives from different sectors, many (young) women, trade unionists and workers, academics and people of the spirit. The most intense and prolonged applause at Thursday’s event, in front of the EAT-ESA buildings, was for the writer Maros Doukas (who was the last to honorably ascend the platform) and Latif Darwish (representative of the Palestinian community).
Except that, in this complex and highly demanding condition, political figures are expected to play the most decisive role in the (victory or not) outcome of the battle and that is why they were chosen to come forward now and without delay.
It’s about:
- the current MEP Stelios Kouloglou of almost 200,000 crosses in 2019, who – if nothing else – has the know-how from similar campaigns
- Gavriel Sakellaridis, who returned to active politics after seven years and assumed the position of political planner. In the 2015 elections, he was third in votes in the A’ Athens with almost 40,000.
- Giorgos Stathakis, former Minister of Economy, who in Chania has a strong current (over 5,000 crosses) even though he was “defeated within the party” by P. Polakis.
- Nikos Fili, a former minister, with the almost 12,000 crosses in the first of Athens during the May elections.
- him Peter Philippoufor a number of years mayor of Saronikos and former deputy governor under Renas Douros at the reins and
- Kostis Karpozilos, whose work as a press representative during the first five months of the New Left was deemed more than satisfactory.
Of course, the president of KO, Alexis Haritsis, Efi Ahtsioglou, Nasos Iliopoulos (as the new press representative), the “heavy artillery”, that is, inside and outside the Parliament, will not stop working interactively.
Chasing the abstention vote
In general, the infant party is based in the large urban centers, where the reactionary stream of society is mainly concentrated. It is hoped that – even at the last minute – it will mobilize the progressive world, which, in protest against the political system, turns its back and does not participate in the process, inevitably raising the abstention rate and favoring the parties in power.
All this was reflected in Thursday’s event, as (besides the New Left parliamentarians) you either saw traditional Leftists, from the old guard, or new people. The 30-45 group was missing. Maybe it was the day.
“At least 3.5% is feasible”
“I think at least 3.5% is possible, that’s what we understand” he argued, speaking to Vima, a top executive, without necessarily counting on the impact of a single event to draw his conclusions.
He explained to us that there is still enough of an empty field of action and this is what the New Left will look to cover both in these weeks leading up to the European elections and immediately after as one of the winners of the process.
What the New Left will certainly not seek is to fish for votes from the pool of “fallen” Spartans, who are by no means “welcome”. They were among the parties that addressed the Areopagus through the relevant memorandum with the aim of preventing their participation in the battle, but in these murky waters they do not cast their nets, as was explained in all directions.
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