– Cases of ministerial arrogance are on the rise – The Maximos Mansion has lost control – Kyriakos Mitsotakis reduced to the role of spectator
The government appears to be drifting without a compass in recent times, as phenomena of disarray and disintegration multiply. At a time when Kyriakos Mitsotakis is pursuing an… “international career” (through meetings and contacts abroad), domestically a sequence of blunders, errors, and arrogant behaviors is being recorded, which constitute a major affront to Greek society. A society whose vast majority is experiencing a very difficult daily reality, with inflation and high prices having pushed economically vulnerable households to the brink of despair.
Opinion polls show the goal of an absolute majority to be unattainable
As opinion polls consistently show that the goal of securing an absolute majority is not merely hard to reach but tends to become unattainable, irritation and anxiety prevail among ministers and MPs. This anxiety is now manifesting in provocative statements and actions that worsen the atmosphere forming against the government. Ministers appear to have gone rogue and, deviating from the official line, are opening new fronts and taking center stage in incidents that damage the government’s credibility and prestige.
Or rather, whatever is left of it. All this is “butter on the bread” (plays right into the hands) of the opposition, which leaves no opportunity unexploited. Most concerning (for the government’s future) is that, for the first time since 2019, the Maximos Mansion seems to have lost control of the situation. The lack of coordination is more than obvious, hence the successive “off-key moves” by ministers and MPs. Control has slackened, and directives to government officials fail to elicit the response demanded by circumstances and events.
The Prime Minister’s subdued stance
Nevertheless, the subdued stance maintained by the Prime Minister toward all these developments is striking, showing an inability to intervene decisively as he has done many times in the past. At the last Cabinet meeting, he devoted a significant portion of his address to giving instructions, condemned arrogant behavior, and asked ministers to empathize with the problems faced by citizens. This is not the first time he has made such observations; however, all previous ones yielded no substantial results.
Will they now? Unlikely, as things indicate that the governing party has gone off the rails and the Prime Minister’s words no longer carry the same weight they did until recently. During the same meeting, Mr. Mitsotakis once again called on ministers to defend the government’s overall work, at a time when most of them “hide” when times get tough in order to avoid personal political costs. The solidarity and alignment that existed during the first years of governance have been lost. Permanently and irrevocably.
The… worst part is that Mr. Mitsotakis cannot do anything to change anything. This means New Democracy will head toward the elections within this backdrop, with prospects shaping up to be anything but auspicious. The goal of an absolute majority, no matter how much the Maximos Mansion insists otherwise, is lost, while the founding of a new party by Antonis Samaras will make the situation even more difficult for the government and Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
TO PARON
