Risky venture
…The globalization process and the free-market imperative have blurred the ideological and political differences between the major traditional parties on a global scale. This makes it very hard for a new party to come up with a third option and, above all, a convincing proposal for governance. Furthermore, the two-party system has internationally consolidated the support of the highly influential media – particularly the electronic variety – which, for various reasons, treat small parties with mistrust. The same applies to the funding of small parties; the party of Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos is an indicative example of this… A third factor which discourages political figures from abandoning the party fold to form a new party is the unfavorable conditions to which these prodigal sons are subjected should they return, as they’re forced to show repentance and subjection. Former Finance Minister Stefanos Manos, for example, who negotiated his return to New Democracy at the previous elections, has been stripped of all autonomy and the terms of his new period within the conservative fold are imposed by Rigillis Street. Former Foreign Minister Antonis Samaras has been knocking in vain on the door of ND, but his return is vetoed by former Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis. Andreas Andrianopoulos faces a similar situation, as his flirting with Costas Simitis tainted his image in ND… ND leader Costas Karamanlis is subjecting Dimitris Avramopoulos to similar hazing…
