Editorial: Not with a whimper but a bang

The sad scene that unfolded yesterday afternoon in the office of the minister of labour, [when PAME trade unionists broke down the door and barged in to stage a vociferous sit-in], signals the definitive end of delusions for the Syriza-Independent Greeks coalition government.

This is true at many levels.

Beyond the prime minister’s confession, some time back, that he had deluded himself regarding what he could achieve with creditors, the government cultivated other, unspoken self-delusions.

If the confessed self-delusion began with the declared aim of abolishing the bailout agreement with a single law, and ended with the idea of radically changing the policy of the eurozone, the unspoken one was linked to the conviction that communications management would suffice to keep up appearances, to ensure the cohesion of the two coalition partners’ parliamentary groups, and to absorb the social backlash.

The 600-page omnibus bill tabled in parliament yesterday marks the end of the second self-delusion as well.

The draft legislation’s repercussions for society are so broad and deep, that they cannot be covered up with any type of self-delusion.

One can no longer cultivate in society illusions, with the assertion that the omnibus bill does not include new austerity measures, as there are nearly two billion euros in new measures.

The first self-delusion ended with the prime minister’s confession.

With all that took place in the labour minister’s office, between yelling PAME members and the silent minister, one can witness how these unspoken self-delusions have come to an end.

They have ended not with the whimper of the prime ministerial confession, but with a resounding bang.