Socialism in Greece

Opposition New Democracy's shadow minister for development, Dora Bakoyannis on Tuesday dismissed a four-year program presented by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Monday in the event that his SYRIZA party is re-elected in snap polls next month as failing to contain measures that will boost economic growth.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' meeting with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos this afternoon the result of which is the dissolution of Parliament and the proclamation of a general election for 7 July marks the formal start of the electoral campaign.

The prime minister's rationale for calling the snap election is the course of the Greek economy and the need to stabilise it.

Bolstered by a strong performance in last month's European Parliament elections, the Party of Equality, Peace and Friendship (KIEF), which represents the interests of Greece's Muslim minority in Western Thrace, is looking for electoral alliances that would boost its chances of parliamentary representation after the July 7 vote.

Some readers may be upset by what I'm about to write, but I never believed that our job is to be pleasant. Greece is going through one of the most toxic pre-election periods it has experienced in decades. We are, unfortunately, about to hit the bottom of the proverbial barrel once again.

New Democracy has gained ground over SYRIZA since its landslide victory in the 26 May European Parliament poll and now has a double-digit lead over the ruling party, according to the vote estimate in a poll that was released today by Metron Analysis and was ordered by Alpha television.

SYRIZA's argument that only it can represent the noble many against an evil minority highlights the confusion that reigns in Greece regarding who are the many and who the few, who are privileged and who are mere beasts of burden, what is progress and what is not.

Deputy House Speaker Tasia Christodoulopoulou said Friday she will not run in national elections next month following an uproar over SYRIZA government's decision to move scores of public sector staff to Parliament, including her daughter.

A last-minute brake by the government on a flurry of amendments that leftist MPs have sought to bring to Parliament this week, before the anticipated closure of the House next week ahead of snap polls in July, has fueled upheaval within SYRIZA's ranks.

Opposition parties indicated on Tuesday that they will boycott Parliament after the government submitted a series of amendments to the House, chiefly foreseeing public sector hirings.