An early test for the government
The government faces its first early test in the local and regional elections that will take place on October 8 (and 15 where runoffs are needed).
Following its overwhelming victory in last June’s national polls, the short and medium-term seemed an easy ride for the government.
But the inability of the state mechanism to adequately prepare for and deal with numerous natural disasters that hit Greece during the summer, from wildfires to floods, have put a serious dent in its popularity and made it more vulnerable than one would have expected a few months ago.
And then came the unknown factor that is the new leader of leftist main opposition SYRIZA, Stefanos Kasselakis, and the effect his unconventional presence might have on the electorate.
A former Goldman Sachs trader and political neophyte, Kasselakis aims to broaden the appeal of his party to centrist voters.
With this goal in mind he is looking to capitalize on any potential gains in this first ballot after becoming leader of the country’s second largest party.
New Democracy’s clear dominance among both the governors of Greece’s 13 regions and the mayors of the major cities will be tested.
To what extent the candidates supported by the government – who are in most cases seeking re-election – will pay a price for the widely criticized mismanagement of the disasters remains to be seen.
The projections so far were generally in their favor, but the last few months have added a healthy dose of uncertainty to the equation.
What seems certain is that any potential losses will make the prime minister’s work more difficult as he faces numerous challenges, not only domestically but also on the international front, more specifically in relations with Turkey and the effort that is under way to improve them.
