Bowing to party obsessions
The frantic efforts by the leftist-led government to satisfy the ideological obsessions of SYRIZA’s extremist members is indeed most impressive. This obsession was on full display Wednesday with the decision by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s administration to abolish the rules governing who gets to hold the national flag at school parades.
Up until now the honor has gone to the pupil with the highest grades. But the government is seeking to change that, and flag-bearers will be chosen through lot – effectively compromising the principle of meritocracy.
The move caused an outcry among opposition parties, which said it would compromise the concept of excellence. The government is obviously attempting to atone for the bailouts it has signed.
However, it is trying to appeal to ideologically stagnant people, who, fortunately for Greece, form a very small minority.
