MacroPolis

As new Covid-19 infections continue to emerge in Greece and concerns grow about the economic impact of the pandemic, SYRIZA has ramped up its criticism of the government on the healthcare front, as well as on the issues raised by the Pissarides report on economic reform.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been briefing opposition leaders on the situation with Turkey in a series of one-on-one meetings following his return from the EU summit in Brussels.

The government has been forced to make changes to the bill aimed at regulating street demonstrations after objections were raised by Parliament’s scientific committee, not just opposition parties.

The question of how the pandemic communications budget was distributed continues to dog Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s government, as the voices calling for full transparency are intensifying.

As it has been for the past few weeks, the economy proved to be the main political battleground on Friday, when Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and opposition leader Alexis Tsipras battled it out in Parliament.

Opposition leader Alexis Tsipras is still struggling to find his footing since last year’s elections and the much-advertised shift towards the centre-left, with the aim of attracting a greater number of voters, has not yet materialised for SYRIZA.

As Greece gradually lifts its emergency measures, the main political parties are using the opportunity to clarify their positions on several key issues to do with managing the pandemic and its aftermath.

The government continues to enjoy strong backing for its handling of the Covid-19 challenge, although concern about the economic impact of the crisis is growing as the public health concerns wane.

New Democracy’s environmental bill passed this week with all 158 votes from the governing majority, after a stormy debate in parliament and a last-minute mobilisation by environmental and civil society groups.

Greek political leaders returned to Parliament on Thursday to debate the national response to the pandemic.