Editorial: Risks

The truth is that one cannot conduct politics without risk, as long as the risk is calculated, and that all of the possible repercussions and side effects have been considered. That, at least, is what fundamental political prudence – if not the very instinct of self-preservations of the political system – mandates

Unfortunately, the Syriza-Independent Greeks coalition government takes risks solely on the basis of instinct. It is a wild instinct, which considers its own survival alone.

In 2015, the government risked the exit of the country from the euro area, with deplorable negotiations and a tragic-comic referendum.

Without a shred of prudence, it threw the separation of powers on the gambling table, with an inconceivable attack on the judiciary, which was strongly denounced by all opposition parties as intervention and an attempt to control the judicial system.

Now, the government is risking the stability of the judicial system, with a scandal it has advertised as “the greatest since the creation of the Greek state”. It has used the institutional operation of democracy as fodder for its communications strategy, and for its strong desire to reap political gains.

Effectively, the government has declared a war of attrition, a war which, as all total wars, is very likely to produce only losers and no winner.

Now, it has taken yet another huge risk.

If the cost of the ill-considered risk of the economy produced yet another, even more painful, bailout memorandum, it remains to be seen what the cost to democracy will be, this time around.