Samaras wants to end introversion climate

Mr Antonis Samaras is calling for a meeting of the ND’s Parliamentary Group, Friday 12pm, in an attempt to put an end to the new introversion climate brought by the founding of Ms Bakogianni’s party and the withdrawal of two MPs.  

So far, Rigillis has incriminated the withdrawals of Mr Avgenakis and Mr Kontogiannis speaking of «a new apostasy» and asking them to return their Parliament seats to the party with which they were elected, raising the issue of political morality.

ND’s president, who spoke of a plan to weaken the party, will not tolerate the «droplet torment» with gradual withdrawals but will not raise the temper either. Mr Samaras will give a political speech, he will set the party’s strategy, insist on the stance against the Memorandum and will place the context for a consensus with the Government if the Prime Minister shows the initiative.

He will suggest that whoever disagrees with the party’s politics, vindicated in the last elections, will have to come clean and chose sides. He will of course attack the Government and the “cherubims” and link the withdrawals with the tough spot of the Government. He will describe how the departed MPs give a helping hand and place themselves into the «alliance of those who stand for the Memorandum».

The Congressmen will be tougher

It is expected that the party’s MPS will have a harder response and lift a protective shield to give «an answer to all those aiming to weaken ND». Although it has been a while since the last time the MPs last took the stand, no differentiations are expected not even from those who are expected to withdraw.  

Even Mr Kostas Karagounis, who is talked about a lot, does not intend to confront ND’s leadership or leave the party. Such moves though are postponed, given the fact that the rumors come from congressmen closer to Ms Bakogianni than to Rigillis.  

At any rate, Rigillis estimates that there are «very few willing to support the Government or follow Ms Bakogianni». They also suggest that these withdrawals are connected with Ms Bakogianni who answers back saying that they are «conspiracy theories uninteresting for the citizens». It is doubtful however, if this attitude serves the renewal she is taking about since the relationship with these members is well known, and will be officially confirmed when they join the party even if this happens at the founding meeting next March.

Mr Kostas Karamanlis, former party President, will also attend the meeting and said yesterday that «ND is our home and we support our party». What he said is self-evident – unless he was thinking of withdrawing – while he avoided any comments on Ms Bakogianni’s move, which weakens the party of which he was the leader, or giving support to his successor, who was elected by a democratic process and confirmed in the recent elections.

It is quite clear that Mr Karamanlis is using this conjuncture to put pressure on Mr Samaras to keep on covering his failed quinquennium. At the same time, there are MPs close to him who ask for protection and seek to remain at the forefront by making good use of their relationship with him.