In a research that has recently seen the light of day, the “existence of a social Left” has been established. Possibly, she is the one who has been seen more and more often in the streets lately. In the demonstrations, the banners and the slogans. In the requests and dissatisfaction expressed. But also in the ambition to become a “stream” that will attract more and more sections of society.
At the same time, however, a question remains as to whether there is also a “political Left” beyond its roughly single-digit polling footprints. And who is she? His left Stefanou Kasselakis which, according to the report, is being “de-encrypted”? His Center Left Nikos Androulakis which, according to its opponents, is being “serialized”? Other expressions that arose from splits, such as the New Left now or MeRA25 and Freedom Sailing in the past?
As it turns out, along with the question of existence, there is also a network of questions regarding the physiognomy, the identity, but also the ownership of the “brand”. All these questions make up an essential existential anxiety. To remind the classic question: “Where is this Left going?”
“Social opposition” exists. But they are looking for the policy and the formation that will balance the political system as an “alternative proposal of power”
It is a “quo vadis” that a few splits and a couple of conferences later has become even more blurred. The more they talk about it, the more confused they become. The great laboratory of ideas, for which the research found that they “still penetrate Greek society”, has turned into a microcosm of introversion, confrontations and mutual annihilation that concern the social body only marginally and only as a spectacle. One can also “fool” the protagonists. But he doesn’t vote for them.
In a more cynical version, which is however reflected in public opinion measurements, they do not trust the protagonists nor those who vote for their parties. The Left, in other words, exists. But not as “plural”. And definitely not as a cybernetic one. The Left goes – wherever and with whomever it goes – with the shadow of a massive governance deficit looming over its head. It is as if the wealth of ideas is accompanied by a poverty of persons.
The problem was certified in that meeting, which stood out from its title for the clear reading of the problem: “Against Mitsotakis, who?”. An answer may not have been given even when a gigantic “I” suddenly appeared in the audience. But for a space that is often abandoned for lack of realism, it was rather a crude demonstration of grounding with reality: “We have an opponent, but who should we go with?”.
The great laboratory of ideas, which the research found “still penetrate Greek society”, has turned into a microcosm of introversion
The flipside of that disgust with which the president of SYRIZA closed his opening speech at the party conference testifies to one dimension of the problem. The other is possibly found in the ideological appeal of the Left. Ideas “penetrate,” as the research used to say. But what about that ideological hegemony that the Left enjoyed already in the era of the post-conflict state in the intellectual elite and metabolised post-politically into a huge social current? Could it be that the governmental experience of ’15, in addition to a “turning point”, was also a “point of no return”? Is the ‘end of illusions’ final?
The Left has read the problem again. To convince, she has already introduced herself as “responsible”. As “realistic”. Now lately, even as “patriotic”. In the meantime, he flirted with the Social Democracy and everything else that moves around the political Center, as if the splits inside it did not matter, but the alliances outside it.
The essential problem, however, along with the existential quo vadis that plagues the Left almost everywhere in Europe anyway, remains. And given the electoral correlations, it becomes an opposition problem. One would say, that is, that “social opposition” exists. However, they are looking for the policy and the formation that will balance the political system as an “alternative proposal of power”. No, with so many internal divisions and so many neighboring parties, there is a lack of candidates. But for now, the audience seems to be missing. Which, in addition to the squares, will also fill the ballot boxes.
#Left #Brand #compass #search
