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Anastasia Balezdrova

The short election campaign is in full swing and the competition between the parties is already present in ad breaks on leading Greek television channels.

SYRIZA’s response to New Democracy that is promising the Greeks that the country will once again go forward implies "settling accounts with the past." In the first election clip of the radical left, people of different ages are saying, "Things are simple in these elections. We will finally part with what is old. We will win tomorrow."

The slogan in the second and third clip of the party taht ruled until recently is, "Our common interest is no interests." The spots also feature people of different ages, different professions and occupations, who are firmly opposed to corruption and to serving particular interests on the part of politicians.

At the same time, half of the remarks are not associated with the vicious practices but they are praising SYRIZA leader and former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, whose name is not directly mentioned.

"I support the one who is not afraid to confront the whole of Europe."

"Who would be interested in my life?"

"I want someone who is not afraid to oppose corruption and the interests of the powerful."

"I want the one who is not ashamed to look me in the eyes."

"I want to live with dignity."

"I do not want my work and efforts to be in vain."

"I want the one who does not serve anyone's interest."

The videos end with the main slogan that is urging the Greeks to get rid of what is old on 20 September.

New Democracy also has responded with a new series of videos describing the various stories of people whose everyday life is deteriorating as a result of the governing of SYRIZA Alexis Tsipras.

An establishment owner, Apostolis, is telling such a story, as he is facing the challenge to save his business while listening to Tsipras’ promises that he will eliminate the property tax, will not increase VAT for the islands and will work to support small businesses.

At the end of the video, Apostolis is reaching a dead-end street, facing a wall with the following slogan, "That wont’ pass. Together we will open the road ahead. Greece needs a perspective, sincerity, cooperation and stability."

In its pre-election video, the centrist Potami party is asking whether Greek citizens will decide to support with their votes "the children of the party tube and political families or the barons and constituent formations (of SYRIZA – author’s note)."

In the videos the party is arguing that the Greeks paid dearly for this choice in the past, therefore calling on them not to make the same choice again this time.

Once again, after the elections in January, SYRIZA’s coalition partner Independent Greeks has stunned voters with a witty spot. Party leader Panos Kammenos then was showing small Alexis how to drive his electronic train so that it would not derail. Now the story is continuing like this,

Kammenos is in a hospital corridor. A woman is asking him what has happened to him and he is replying that "the small boy" has broken his left arm. "Well, cheer up. He is small, he will learn," the woman is saying and Kammenos is nodding knowingly.

The door of the consulting room is opening and little Alexis is leaving it with his hand put in plaster, telling Kammenos the following, "In the end, you were right." And he is replying, "Did you see? It is glued," hinting at cooperation between the two parties in the government. Then subsequently Alexis is asking, "How will I write?" and Kammenos is replying, "I will teach you to write equally well with your right hand too."

The video ends reading, "Independent Greeks - the needed good. On 20 September, it will be more needed than ever."

Vassilis Leventis’ Union of Centrists is expected to be the surprise of the upcoming elections. After over 20 years in oblivion and late-night shows on marginal television channels, where he cursed the leaders of leading political parties, his party is about to enter parliament.

The spots of the Union of Centrists are the epitome of the "freshness" that comes out from their leader. In the first one, a public worker is speaking on the phone with friends, being occupied with everything else except for his duties. He is hanging up the phone immediately upon Vassilis Leventis entering the office. Leventis is leaving on his desk the reform programme of his party, raising the fallen flags of Greece and the European Union.

He is then shaking hands with the officer and the following slogans appear, "Now I know what I am doing. I am chasing the lazybones and fighting with bribes. I am rescuing the public sector, unburdening the private sector and bringing investments. I am stimulating companies to create stable economic growth and reduce unemployment." The video ends with photos of dozens of voters who are publicly declaring their support for Leventis by answering the question of the Union of Centrists, "Will you be with me?"