Editorial: Cheap propaganda

It is beyond ludicrous to rehash conspiracy theories for the umpteenth time, simply because an MP left the parliamentary group of the junior partner in the ruling coalition. The constant refrain about vested interests that undermine the government cannot persuade anyone except for party hacks in the PM’s office and their political supervisors.

Resorting to scenarios of destabilisation has for years been the easy alibi of every government collapsing under the weight of its own political contradictions.

The hermaphroditic government coalition of SYRIZA and the Independent Greek – the cohesion of which was based on dividing up the spoils of power, untrammeled populism, and targeting its political opponents with all means – has been shaky for quite a while.

The farce-comedy of the PM wearing a tie at his Zappeion Hall speech, and the Tsipras-Kammenos embraces, which aimed to cover up the radical differences between the coalition partners on the FYROM naming agreement, turned out to be short-lived.

The opportunistic amalgam that is the Independent Greeks party is on its last leg, with MPs and cadres looking out for their own political survival.

It is dissolving in the same way it was created as a convenient grouping of politicians who abandoned another party in order to save themselves.

At that time, of course, they did not consider themselves apostates or organs of other interests. In the same fashion, all the MPs from other parties that flock to SYRIZA are not considered apostates or organs of businessmen, but rather welcome collaborators.

It is by now obvious to everyone that Mr. Tsipras has chosen, on the road towards elections, the familiar tactic of conspiracy theories, and of targeting politicians and businessmen, in order to salvage what he can of his electoral clientele, which is withering away daily.

He is using grey propaganda, the mechanisms of power, and the instrumentalisation of the judiciary and institutions, in order to cultivate a climate of polarisation and division.

Citizens now, however, have understood his ruthless games. They have paid dearly for the dashed hopes that he was peddling, and are not convinced by fairy tales and dragons.