At Maximos Mansion, if nothing else, they know how to set the agenda and make the nonexistent and fragmented opposition run behind them, falling into the traps laid for them.
The most recent example concerns the Monument of the Unknown Soldier and fears of possible incidents during the parades.
As a result, while the government was previously under pressure, suddenly the opposition fell into the trap and ended up apologizing for both matters.
Instead of denouncing the government, it became its… tail, apologizing for things for which it had no responsibility.
Consequently, the government is celebrating since yesterday because the self-evident fact — that the parades should be held with respect for the Nation’s History — was carried out as it should have been.
ND and the cabinet boiling
As a result, Maximos Mansion took a deep communicative breath, at a time when both the parliamentary group and the cabinet are “boiling,” each for their own reasons.
At the same time, the government is tossing out a “banana peel” through leaks about changing the electoral law, despite repeated denials by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, causing the opposition to take the bait and start asking questions — even though it knows that changing the electoral law requires its consent.
Let’s take things from the beginning.
They tremble at the thought of a reshuffle
During the penultimate meeting of the parliamentary group, the prime minister had promised his then-protesting MPs that he would proceed with a reshuffle.
The truth is he never gave a date for when he would make his move.
But in doing so, he gave them hope on the one hand while, on the other, halting the small rebellions that had already begun forming.
Thus, most dissenters were placed “on ice,” realizing that any act against Maximos Mansion would deprive them of any chance of promotion or inclusion in the government lineup.
The second OPEKEPE... package spreads fear in Maximos Mansion
On the other hand, the prime minister fears what will happen when the second dossier regarding the OPEKEPE scandal reaches Parliament — and who it might implicate.
This is why government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis made sure to freeze the reshuffle, since if it were to occur now, it could collapse in practice should any selected figures later be implicated, forcing changes afterward.
At the same time, Maximos Mansion knows that reshuffles, in most cases, create more problems than they solve — though in the end Kyriakos Mitsotakis will not be able to avoid one, as pressure from particularly “difficult” constituencies must be eased.
In the coming days, we may see a new round of announcements regarding parliamentary candidates.
Examples include Giannis Papageorgiou in Athens A, Alexandra Sdoukou in Grevena, and Marios Themistokleous in East Attica — all figures supported by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The Samaras–Karamanlis duo lurks
At the same time, the rumors and leaks concerning the electoral law reveal the difficult position the government finds itself in.
The “needle” remains stuck despite attempts to rebuild a right-wing profile, while the government pins its last hopes for any polling improvement on November.
Yet, the open wounds within the party remain visible, as shown by the strong reaction even to remarks made by former President of the Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the Academy of Athens.
The irritation at Maximos Mansion toward the Karamanlis–Samaras–Pavlopoulos trio is considerable, as they know these are the only figures causing real damage within society — especially among the New Democracy base.
The absence of all three from Nikos Dendias’ event, solely to avoid being photographed with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is indicative of the climate within the center-right.
The truth about the electoral law
The rumors surrounding the electoral law have two main parameters.
The first concerns the change in the seat bonus depending on the margin between the first and second parties.
This indicates that New Democracy does not feel confident it can reach a percentage high enough to secure the graduated 50-seat bonus.
The second point being considered by the government — if the opposition were to take the bait on an electoral-law change under the pretext of extending the bonus to coalitions of parties — is to raise the parliamentary entry threshold.
By doing so, it believes it could block a potential Samaras party or the “Voice of Reason” movement of Aphrodite Latinopoulou.
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