Meaningless opposition

Throughout the world, opposition parties oppose. They oppose policy, point out government errors, expose their rivals, put forward proposals etc. What the main opposition in Greece does, though, is threaten.

Most recently, we heard opposition chief Alexis Tsipras telling Parliament: "The only things I have to say to the government benches is don't you dare exclude key SYRIZA cadres from the investigative committee! Don't you dare!" And let's say they do dare? What then?

This was not the first time that the leader of the minority sought to command the majority with threats. In 2014, he used the podium at Parliament to warn Antonis Samaras' government not to make any "important moves, crucial negotiations or decisions that will tie the hands of subsequent governments without the approval of the main opposition." "I say it again so it will be heard not just by you, but...