The nominee for President of the Hellenic Republic was the talk of the day, or wait a minute, it was the 12.78% plunge of the Athens Stock Exchange, or the guessing of the date of the Greek general elections, or the 30th day of Nikos Romanos’ hunger strike. Still, in the past few months, the words “President of the Republic” pop in everyone’s lips on a daily basis. The President of the Hellenic Republic, the head of state, the most important citizen in Greece, the protector of our democratic institutions, a revered political figure. But if we look at it on a realistic basis, the President of the Republic has no legislative or executive power, no influence on political decisions and actions. He is a mere figurehead, his position simply decorative, a protocol necessity. And highly paid at that. Yet, this is probably the first time in Greece’s political history that the presidential election has so much importance bestowed upon it. This time, the government depends on it. The New Democracy and PASOK coalition has nominated an excellent politician with laurels from his stay as European Commissioner for the Environment, generally acceptable by most MPs, left and right of the spectrum. Stavros Dimas is all that but he has very little chances of being elected. Not because he doesn’t deserve it but because the current political situation won’t allow it. Main opposition SYRIZA wouldn’t vote for President even if the nominee was the Dalai Lama. They see the end of the presidential term in February as a bona fide opportunity to force general elections since they have a solid lead of five percentage points in opinion polls. Naturally, they won’t vote for Dimas, and, naturally, they will push it until the end. SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has already stated that December 29 – the date of the third presidential ballot – will be the end of the coalition government. The Greek Communist Party (KKE), Independent Greeks (ANEL) and Democratic Left (DIMAR) also oppose the election of President from the present Parliament. Why then Prime Minister Antonis Samaras chose Dimas, an exceptional New Democracy member, to send as sacrificial lamb in a ballot that, deep inside, he knows he has very little chances in winning? Because right now, he is very far from getting the 180 votes he needs in the third ballot to get elected. As SYRIZA members like to say, it is easier for us to get the 121 needed to vote against, than the coalition to get 180. Not to mention that Tsipras has indirectly implied that the independent MPs who will vote in favor of the President would have been manipulated or bribed. Samaras said that Dimas is “apparently” the nominee for all three ballots. What if that “apparently” means that he has an ace up his sleeve that he will throw on the table on the third and most crucial ballot? Maybe he has a nominee standing by who is so acceptable by everyone, that all independent MPs will gladly give their vote. Because despite the qualities, achievements and acceptability of Mr Dimas, he is not the person who will make naysayers change their stance. If Samaras has no alternative nominee standing by, then the whole procedure will be much ado about nothing.
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