Groundless expectations
Greece’s left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, is trying to convince his European peers that he is moving toward the political center. But his recent decisions and the overall demeanor of his government suggest otherwise.
Take higher education. The changes included in the bill submitted by Education Minister Costas Gavroglou were designed to charm grassroots SYRIZA supporters who once opposed the reforms of Marietta Giannakou, a conservative, as education minister. Meanwhile, the government’s reluctance to beef up security indicates that leftist officials don’t want to disaffect their most loyal pool of voters.
Also considering certain government officials’ provocative language, it’s hard to justify expectations Tsipras will shift to the middle ground.
