Dysfunctional government
The dissent of Greece’s public life into scandalmongering is a sign of a dysfunctional political system. The truth is that TV tribunals would have been shoved to the edge of political respectability had the problems besetting the country been met with genuine political action. On all issues, ranging from the challenges facing the European Union to the structural reforms of Greece’s economy, substantial political debate is largely absent. The self-styled TV prosecutors have been more than keen to fill the void and monopolize the news business. Ever since the first «revelations» were made, the government’s lack of coordination has become increasingly evident as more and more deputies are adding their voices to a cacophony that has taken its toll on the credibility of political arguments. It is needless to point out that the appearance of political officials on these television programs is a sorry excuse for public debate. The parade of these gentlemen on the TV channels is driven by personal grievances, inner-party bickering, and self-promotion. The sight of embittered, smug or ill-prepared politicians only ends up generating more questions about the shape of New Democracy’s Cabinet. The situation may be no different in the other parties – but at the end of the day, it’s the ruling party that is responsible for stewarding the country. The current situation, supplemented by the voters’ general disillusionment, fans public skepticism of politicians. To make matters worse, the corruption allegations against ordinary deputies have been succeeded by reports that ministers are spreading rumors to air their bad feelings about their colleagues. But such bad habits are taking a hefty toll on the government’s performance. The clamor is blocking the work that the conservative leadership has promised to carry out. Even if the Cabinet disarray was of no concern to the political leadership, the premier is still responsible for restoring order for the sake of government work. The government will go nowhere if the mess persists.
