Marina Economides
Shortly after the Supreme Court decided to dismiss Odysseas Michaelides, while society and the political system were already beginning to polarize, the president of the coalition's Democratic Party (DIKO) posted pictures of his family vacation in London. It was a misstep he attempted to correct upon his return, offering full support to the now-dismissed auditor-general. However, the unfortunate timing of his post carried its significance, inevitably being noted. It sent a clear message of hypocrisy. In his 2021 campaign, Nicolas Papadopoulos championed Michaelides and their joint fight against the "most corrupt government" by even blocking the state budget. Yet today, in the wake of his ally's dismissal, Papadopoulos was conspicuously absent.
But there was more to the issue than just optics. The leader of the largest party in the coalition seemed paralyzed in managing his own party during this crisis. Rather than helping the government through the unfolding drama, part of his team was exacerbating the problem. Zacharias Koulias’ comments about an institutional derailment only reinforced the sense that the country was becoming a laughingstock, held hostage by dangerous populism in the absence of strong political leadership. For the sake of stability, one might have expected Nicolas Papadopoulos—who once reshuffled half his party after losing the 2018 presidential election—to find a way to rein in his MP. But for Papadopoulos, it seemed like just another sunny Monday.
The Koulias affair also raised an important question: Does the Democratic Party (DIKO) still want to be part of the solution, or is it keeping its distance? And if it’s the latter, what does this say about the seriousness of a party that just a year ago argued that if Nicos Christodoulides didn't exist, he would have to be invented? The message being sent is that DIKO is a party without leadership, without a plan, and, above all, without credibility.
However, the situation in DIKO is not President Nicos Christodoulides’ biggest problem. It’s emblematic of how his government operates—adrift without strong leadership or reliable parties, and lacking coordination.
The crisis could have been avoided if the President himself had intervened. Not only did he fail to diffuse the situation with a timely institutional intervention, but he also didn’t bother informing his coalition partners of his intentions. The only time he acted was when the Speaker of the House stepped in, and he grew concerned she might gain political ground, eyeing the 2028 elections.
If they can’t even coordinate to prevent an unnecessary crisis, what will happen with larger issues? How many more crises will emerge when the country appears leaderless? A government seemingly caught off guard, lurching from one crisis to the next, confirms the worst fears of its harshest critics: that we survive more by luck than by governance.
P.S. At the time of writing, the convicted murderer who escaped while being escorted by seven police officers to his family’s home for a meal has yet to be found. The Chief of Police remains in his position, as does the Minister of Justice. If this situation doesn't prove the country is a parody, it certainly highlights their tragic incompetence and negligence. It raises one glaring question: Does anyone in this country ever take responsibility?
[This article is a translation from its Greek original which was published in this Sunday's Kathimerini]
