Waiting for a sign…
Over the next few days, we will be, semiofficially, entering the pre-election period. It will be Prime Minister Costas Simitis himself who will give the signal when he begins implementing the initiatives he announced a month ago – that is, changes on the political and party level ostensibly aimed at improving the negative climate in which the ruling party is currently operating. In other words, he will attempt to improve his deeds and his image (especially his image) so that he can be better prepared to face the next election showdown. Of course, many people continue to maintain that it is highly unlikely that Simitis will still be prime minister when he votes in the next elections, despite the premier’s insistence that he is not planning to step down. These people still believe that Simitis may «hand over» his post to another official (such as Foreign Minister George Papandreou) or that he may open up the game even further by putting two different officials in the posts of party president and prime minister while simultaneously raising the issues of a reform of the voting law, a possible center-left alliance and a restructuring of the entire political system! However, as the prime minister, at least officially, insists he has no intention of stepping down, we have to analyze all developments with his presence at the helm of PASOK as a constant – at least for now…
