Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his Nea Dimokratia party secured a second term in office in yesterday's elections. Given that all national elections are also European elections it is worth taking a closer look at the election results and what it will mean for Europe.
With some 52% turn out the voters didn't seem to be very enthusiastic. Mitsotakis party won 40%, roughly the same result as in the previous round, but in the Greek system in the second round 40% was enough to get an all out majority in Parliament, as ND got a 50 seat bonus. The opposition is dangerously weak and divided. Many of the opposition parties are fringe movements and extremists. With roughly 20% of the popular vote Mitsotakis will effectively be able to rule without any opposition.
Many commentators have praised his economic policies. And the figures are undeniably impressive. However, Greece's public institutions are still very weak and too often seem to serve particular and party interests rather than the public interest. The February train crash at Tempi exposed the systemic weakness of the state and the dangers of weak public scrutiny. Corruption is rife and the judiciary woefully ineffective. Excessive focus on investment in real estate for the tourism sector is damaging ecosystems and communities, in particular as permits are issued in very dubious ways. It is doubtful that robust, sustainable economic growth can be built on such shaky foundations.
There are also growing concerns about the rule of law. Meaningful public scrutiny has been eliminated, as independent bodies have been curtailed, harassed and obstructed and in some cases the management has simply been replaced with party friends. It must be feared that the government will use its new mandate to finish off whatever independent oversight has been left. Media freedom is the worst in Europe. Spyware has been used on a massive scale for political purposes and all efforts to investigate have been thwarted.
The systematic Pushbacks are no longer seen as a violation of European and international law, but as a normal policy tool. The dramatic shipwreck at Pylos was the most deadly incident in recent times, and very probably the result of attempted pushback. There are many reasons to fear that the investigation will undergo the same fate as so many investigations in recent years and end up in a cover up.
The election results will not make any of these problems go away. The government will have to tackle them. But given that many of these problems have been caused or aggravated by the previous Mitsotakis government, a radical change of policy does not seem very likely.
All the while the European Union has been all but absent. The European Commission has ostentatiously turned a blind eye to the rule of law backsliding in Greece, refuses to investigate illegal exports of spyware, and did not lift a finger to end the pushbacks, on the contrary, the Commission has diligently echoed the government pretext of "border control". For many years Frontex has even been complicit in the pushbacks. The investigation into the Pylos shipwreck will be the litmus test for the new management. The European Parliament has been critical and vocal, but the EPP group and party (led by a ND Secretary General) has been disgracefully shielding their member party from even the slightest scrutiny and criticism, much as they protected their former member Orbán for many years. The only EU body that seems to actually do its job in Greece, is EPPO.
Over the next four years the EU institutions have to radically step up their activity and use all the tools at its disposal to ensure that Greece, as a component part of the European Union, will fully comply with EU rules and standards. All independent bodies in Greece need to get the full backing of the EU Commission, as well as investigative journalists who are exposing wrongdoing by the government. The European Council for once has to take its responsibility (and pigs fly, I know) and put the rule of law situation on the agenda. The European Parliament will continue to scrutinise closely and push for transparency and accountability.
Greek political parties have to consider their course of action. Any healthy democracy needs a balanced political landscape and a strong centre. Between a party with absolute power and a rag tag opposition, there is ample space for a credible and democratic alternative that works for the common good.
In the next four years all efforts have to be made to curb the trend and ensure the rule of law prevails, corruption is eradicated and the public administration is efficient, reliable and independent.
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