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In the last few weeks SYRIZA has had frequent contacts with representatives of Greece’s political and economic right. The coalition’s leader Alexis Tsipras was visited in parliament by Gianna Angelopoulou who hails from one of the wealthiest families in Athens. There was even talk about a dinner between Tsipras, Angelopoulou and Marianna Latsis, member of another extremely wealthy family.

And the regional conference of the radical left in Lamia was the venue where Kostas Bakoyannis, grandson of former prime minister and honorary president of New Democracy Konstantinos Mitsotakis and son of the former foreign minister and current MP of the same party Dora Bakoyannis, made an appearance.

"Now is the time for coming together and for unity. Now is the time to rise above partisan considerations. Let's not cut the branch on which we all sit." This was how the Governor of Central Greece responded to Alexis Tsipras, who addressed the conference appealing for immediate elections before the new agreement with creditors.

Bakoyannis, who spoke right after Tsipras, described the situation in Central Greece and did not abstain from expressing his concern about the latest developments. "I am particularly concerned by what is happening on the political scene," he said, and added that the tension had passed all bounds. "The country is trapped by its own mistakes and the political considerations of our creditors. You are all aware that anger and bitterness have been intensifying. The crisis of political representation has turned into a crisis of public institutions and democratic values…"

Addressing Tsipras personally, Bakoyannis said: "You and I belong to the same generation. We belong to the best educated and most European generation: our pocket money might have been in drachma, yet our salaries have always been in Euro. Unfortunately, we also belong to the first generation after the creation of the Greek state, which is going to live worse than the previous ones."

Bakoyannis reminded Tsipras of the differences in their origin and careers, but emphasised how important it is to achieve unity "in order to prevent a repetition of past mistakes". Konstantinos Mitsotakis’ grandson argued that the Greek political system is still functioning without having learnt anything from the past. He quoted Talleyrand’s dictum about the Bourbons, ''They have learned nothing, and they have forgotten nothing'', and appealed to Tsipras that they should be different than that.

"Our generation is the one, which is bound to be different. And what I'm talking about is a change not only of policies or practices, but first and foremost a change in our mind-set." Bakoyannis failed to finish his speech on a more optimistic note: "We all see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I'm starting to fear that this is simply the train coming to run us over." He pointed out that the gravest issue of our times was the lack of national consent. "Even on the most basic issues. Let us build up new politics and a culture of collaboration. From bottom to top. From the municipal and regional councils all the way to Parliament. It is not necessary to abandon or change our political direction. Even when we stand on different opinions, this does not imply that we cannot live together," Bakoyannis said.