During the visit to Athens last May by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Greek Communist Party (KKE) deputy Liana Kanelli made televised remarks criticizing the country’s journalists. Virtually all prominent Greek reporters secured an interview with the visiting US politician but no one…
During the visit to Athens last May by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Greek Communist Party (KKE) deputy Liana Kanelli made televised remarks criticizing the country’s journalists. Virtually all prominent Greek reporters secured an interview with the visiting US politician but no one attempted to arrange a meeting with Aleida Guevara, the eldest daughter of Argentinean-born revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara, an anti-imperialist campaigner who had also been in Athens at the same time.
The day after Kanelli’s comments were aired, the magazine Metexelixi (Evolution), owned by ruling New Democracy, responded to the challenge. The magazine reported that its editor “spoke for two hours with the daughter of the commandante, who opened up her heart.” In other words, while the rest of the press displayed indifference, ND’s magazine stepped in to fill the gap.
This incident goes some way toward explaining how a publication owned by ND can print conspiracy theories suggesting that Turkish agents were to blame for the rocket attack on the US Embassy in Athens last month. If Turkish diplomats take offense, the Foreign Ministry need only show them the Guevara interview and hope they show some humor.
But the most important thing demonstrated by this incident is the ideological confusion of the ruling party. Many of ND’s cadres have embraced all aspects of the leftist and far-right forms of populism in this country, and the magazine Metexelixi is a mirror of this ideological confusion. Reading it, one finds many commentators embracing conspiracy theories of “Turkish terrorism aimed at damaging the country’s good name” alongside praise for the commandante’s heroic contribution to history.
Over the past three years, there has been much debate about opposition PASOK’s lack of ideological clarity. But no one talks about the same haziness within ND. These roles had been in reverse before the March 2004 elections. Then, all analysts saw ND in ideological turmoil and PASOK as having a clear line.
Perhaps these analysts have mistaken the party’s stance on a particular reform for its overall ideological position. A clear overall position produces stances on different issues which are held together by an internal consistency.
At the moment, both parties have a problem communicating their overall stance. PASOK is more visible (its cadres appear on TV debates) but to get an idea of ND’s position one needs to read its publications. The ruling party faces a bigger hurdle than the opposition though. At the end of the day, leftist and nationalist populism is a strong tradition in PASOK, established by party founder Andreas Papandreou. But this trend has been used by ruling ND as a convenient patch over the dearth of ideas that has plagued the party for decades.
KATHIMERINI English Edition, 02/03/2007
