Both sides’ messages for a truce until the European elections have worked. The Tsipras side, which tried to overthrow Stefanos Kasselakis at the conference but failed, gave the new leader time. Not until the national elections he requested, but until the European elections.
O Tsipras
Until then, Alexis Tsipras decided to work on his own rebranding, paying one of the most expensive companies in the international market, if what he read on the plane is true, to be ready for the return after the European elections, being sure that circumstances will require it.
The problem for the former SYRIZA leader and his supporters is that at the same time, Stefanos Kasselakis seems to be gaining momentum. SYRIZA stopped falling in the polls and moved away from the possibility of a single-digit percentage in the European elections. Recently, PASOK passed and in the latest opinion polls it seems that the gap – even if small – with Nikos Androulakis is consolidating.
SYRIZA’s minor poll recovery is not going the way the party’s left-wing voters want, who, according to the qualitative data of the polls, are abandoning it and heading to the New Left or elsewhere. It is due to Mr. Kasselakis’ conscious approach to the so-called anti-systemic vote, which is characterized by a negative and punitive mood and loose or non-existent ideological characteristics. It is due to people who in the past may have made any choice on the right or left end of the political spectrum.
But, for now, this does not “spoil” Stefanos Kasselakis, who imagines that he can repeat the venture of Alexis Tsipras from 2012 to 2015, who went from 16% to 36% turning in his favor – due to the prolonged economic and social crisis – not only the left-wing voters – they wouldn’t be enough – but also far-left, far-right, apolitical, luben, “sprayed” etc. This explains the obsession with “polarization”, scandals, exaggerations, fake news, etc., in combination with the highlighting of existing problems but also opinions “that could very well have belonged to Mitsotakis or even Tzimeros”, as they say to SYRIZA about Mr. Kasselakis.
It is certain, as Thanasis Karteros has announced with his articles in Avgi (by the way, the journalist Andreas Bousios who took over the Press Office of Mr. Tsipras is of Karteros’ absolute trust), that Kasselakis will keep the helm of SYRIZA , he will do as he likes until June 9th and… cash will be held on the Sunday of the European elections.
Strategy
The people of Mr. Kasselakis argue that if the negative news about the government continues – they themselves will do everything they can to maintain it, investing politically and communicatively in every negative event as happened with the tragedy of Tempi and the murder of 28-year-old outside the police station of Aghii Anargyro -, SYRIZA will rise even more in the polls.
They also confirm that Mr. Kasselakis will continue to promote his sui generis self and the new SYRIZA, with the known exaggerations and without interference from the old SYRIZA. Because he believes that only if he himself strengthens his “direct contact” with the world, SYRIZA in the European elections can reach and surpass the 17.8% of the national elections in June.
He reportedly believes in a “total reset” of SYRIZA – or whatever the party will be called – after the European elections, the question is whether public opinion will believe this.
First of all, Stefanos Kasselakis -following the recommendations of his advisers inside and outside Greece- will work systematically to convince the public opinion that he has nothing to do with Alexis Tsipras, does not consult him and has nothing to do with him. In his last interview with SKAI, his attempt to send the message that he is the present and Alexis Tsipras the past was clear, and this choice of his has worried Alexis Tsipras and his supporters. Those who don’t even want to think that Kasselakis’ SYRIZA will emerge stronger in the European elections…
Indifference
Stefanos Kasselakis allegedly ignores the “bells” that SYRIZA officials are trying to ring about the change in the composition of the party’s voters and the ongoing exodus of left-wing voters.
At the moment, he does not even listen to those who argue that with the strategy he follows and the messages he sends to Greek public opinion, he can welcome the protest vote and the punitive vote, but he does not build a prime ministerial profile and does not seek the positive vote. Which in times of normality prevails.
Heavy climate for Androulakis
In Charilaou Trikoupi, the last two waves of opinion polls have weighed heavily on the climate for Nikos Androulakis. They expected that his latest initiative in the Parliament, to table a motion of no confidence by coming forward as the head of the anti-government front, would give something to the measurements, but phew…
It seems that those within the party are right to argue that Nikos Androulakis missed an opportunity to consolidate and increase his small lead in the polls over SYRIZA when he decided to run a SYRIZA-style opposition for a while because he believed that this would give him brought disaffected SYRIZA voters.
Disapproval
It also does not seem to be confirmed in the opinion polls what they told Charilaou Trikoupis to reassure those who share common concerns within PASOK, that politically Androulakis is superior to Kasselakis and that Kasselakis is a “lie” that will deflate.
There are some in Harilaou Trikoupis, few but there are, who believe that the measurements are rigged by the government and are promoting Kasselakis because Kyriakos Mitsotakis has allegedly chosen the leader of SYRIZA and not the leader of PASOK as his opponent. However, it is not a position with a great impact within PASOK. Most look for the causes of the poll decline and focus on the characteristics of the leader.
In fact, Androulakis-Kasselakis commonalities are few, but strong. They both have a deadline until the European elections, while both are well aware that in order for their confrontation with Kyriakos Mitsotakis to gain meaning in view of the national elections, in the European elections one must finish the other politically.
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