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Anastasia Balezdrova

The first polls after the summer period have placed the main opposition party SYRIZA at the top of the preferences of Greek voters. The result is surprising if one takes into account the fact that, recently, the Finance Minister has stated that budget surpluses will be achieved this year for the first time and that the first signs of economic improvement have been recognized by Berlin and Brussels.

At the same time, the number of Greeks who have a negative attitude towards the European Union and the euro has increased, and the support for Golden Dawn is in the range of 13% and 15%.

GRReporter turned to Eftichis Vardoulakis, adviser on political communications, strategy and polictical studies, to analyse the results. He is also a co-founder of the company Stratego which has been involved in political campaigns in Greece and abroad. The interview was conducted by e-mail.

The main point in the last two polls is the clear rise of SYRIZA. How would you comment on this fact?

It has been largely anticipated. This process of a slight twist began in May last year when New Democracy had gained its most significant precedence over the last year. This was due to various developments, the most significant of them being the internal government crises related to the vote on the law against racism, the closure of the national broadcaster ERT and the taxation of real estate. This had affected the polls which showed the precedence of SYRIZA during this period. I think this is due to the erosion of New Democracy rather than to the leading position of SYRIZA, as there is no significant improvement in the overall appearance and the individual indicators of the party.

We witnessed many twists during the 15 months after the last elections.

What can be expected from an eventual government of SYRIZA?

The problem in SYRIZA’s policy is that it could attract a temporary majority during the elections but it would be difficult for it to meet the demands of the various groups which support it because the country's government requires more realistic proposals.

The expectations SYRIZA is creating are not at all clear. The voters who vote for SYRIZA consciously and because of ideological considerations are a minority among the general electorate. The vast majority actually consists of former voters of PASOK who left the party after it implemented the policy of austerity. People who simply want a change in the government because they believe that this is the only alternative support SYRIZA too. The expectations of these different groups are unclear and SYRIZA is deliberately leaving many issues unresolved for the sole purpose of attracting votes from different political spaces. The problem in this policy is that it could attract a temporary majority during the elections but it would be difficult for it to meet the demands of the various groups which support it because the country's government requires more realistic proposals.

What is the reason for the rise of Golden Dawn in your opinion?

Golden Dawn is taking advantage of the dominant dissatisfaction with the old political system and of the sudden radicalization of public opinion which has intensified the aggressive populism. The economic crisis is the cause for despair among people and the discredited political life is limiting the expectations of the parties belonging to the "system". These two factors are creating an explosive mixture, which aims to express its will in a very extreme way. This is being fuelled by the existing problems which are the cause for the increased inflow of illegal immigrants, particularly in some districts of Athens. I hope that this process will be interrupted because the rise of this fascist organization is bringing only dangers for the country.

The polls report a sharp deterioration in the attitude towards the European Union and the euro. How would you explain this bearing in mind the fact that Greece is the most favoured state in terms of the European Development Funds?

Firstly, I would like to say that scepticism is rising not only in Greece but also in Europe. The European Union was popular because it promised democratic stability, economic prosperity and cooperation which guaranteed peace and stable partnerships. At present, all three promises are "under fire". The friendship and cooperation between the member states are under pressure from stereotypes and aphorisms such as that of the "lazy people" of the South and the "cold-blooded exploiters" of the North. They are becoming a key rhetoric that is "poisoning" the relationships between the states. At the same time, the imposition of austerity policies is turning the European Union from a vision into a "scarecrow". The national governments are contributing towards all this too, as they often transfer the responsibility for the severe measures to the European Union. The same thing is happening in Greece as well.

What do you think will happen in the elections for members of the European Parliament? Do you think that the participation in them will exceed the interest in them which is usually weak?

The participation will surely be greater because, among other things, they will be held in conjunction with the local government elections. Hence, the interest in them will be stronger.