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The debate in the prime minister\u2019s inner circle about when the next national elections should take place continues unabated. The dilemma, and the pros and cons of each scenario, are well known. Let the present four-year term run its course till the summer of \u201827, or call an early poll in the next six months or so?<\/p>\n
The one side sees the mounting pressure on the government, from the high cost of living to a number of highly publicized trials, threatening its chances; hence the earlier the better.<\/p>\n
This approach is also supported by two more considerations: first, the ruling party\u2019s recent rise in opinion polls due to the public\u2019s need for a steady hand in times of crises, and, second, the continuing divisions in the center left opposition where the main \u201cprotagonists\u201d are PASOK and the new party to be founded in the next few months by former PM, Alexis Tsipras.<\/p>\n
The supporters of resorting to early elections this year seem to have a date in mind; a month or so after the Thessaloniki trade fair in early September, when the prime minister will outline the following year\u2019s economic policies and will have a chance to capitalize on promises he will make.<\/p>\n
The other side, which to a certain extent includes the PM himself, favor respecting institutional continuity thus getting as close to the end of the government\u2019s second term in June 2027 as possible.<\/p>\n
Also, next July Greece takes over the European Union\u2019s six-month rotating presidency. With the inability \u2013 according to all the polls \u2013 to form a one-party government, it will most likely lead to another election a month later, the argument goes, so it would be better to avoid internal political instability while trying to lead the EU.<\/p>\n
In addition, there are numerous major EU-funded projects running and Brussels will be looking for a serious and not politically oriented 2027 budget by October, in order to release a final tranche of about \u20ac4 billion from the EU\u2019s Recovery and Resilience Facility.<\/p>\n
In any case, the PM and his advisers will continue weighing the pros and cons, assessing on the economic side, the impact of the Iran war, and on the political front, the dynamics in the opposition as PASOK has concluded its national congress, and Alexis Tsipras gets closer to announcing his new party.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n