July 24 marked the 52nd anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece, and, as is customary, a special event was held at the Presidential Mansion to mark the end of military rule. So, we ask: Is the Greek political system in a position to honor such a historic anniversary by coming together for a few hours in the same space or at least posing together just long enough for a group photo?
The newly elected leader of the dwindling parliamentary group of opposition SYRIZA had made her decision not to attend the reception in a letter to the president of the republic. She said the event “falls short of serving as an occasion for meaningful reflection on democracy, institutions and our shared historical memory,” citing the presence of military junta sympathizers, representatives of the far right and revisionists of modern history. A “detail” worth noting is that SYRIZA governed Greece for four years in a coalition with the far-right Independent Greeks party. Another is that all of the other leftist party’s former presidents from the last 20 years decided to attend. Neither appears to matter in the face of what seems to be a desperate attempt to be in the spotlight of an inward-looking political news cycle when there is little else to command attention.
