by Sarantis Michalopoulos* **
Since two months now intense rumours are being circulated in Athens that the current Greek Commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos, is intending to quit from the European Commission and run for the Presidency of Greece.
The Greek Commissioner was proposed by centre-right New Democracy which was recently defeated by leftist Syriza in Greek elections.
Nevertheless many claim that he has made a deal with the newly elected Syriza government to be proposed as Greece’s next President.
The non-election of a President in Greece resulted in snap elections, in which Syriza got the power.
Why that?
The newly elected government in Athens will soon propose a new President to be voted by the new Syriza dominated parliament.
Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras has said that he will seek the wider possible “consensus” regarding the political personality he will propose, hinting the possibility not to be a party member.
At the same time, during the quite polarized pre-election campaign, Avramopoulos made a serious intervention:
While his party New Democracy based its election campaign on the fact that EU rules should be strictly followed, Avramopoulos underlined that “budget flexibility” is needed especially for Southern Europe, pleasing of course Syriza.
A good deal for all
Such a move should satisfy all the parts. New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras gets rid of a possible internal “rival”- after the election defeat it’s a matter of time to start being questioned as a party leader, and Syriza shows a sign of national cohesion and consensus.
Syriza also wants a party member in the College of Commissioners in terms of the upcoming tough debt restructuring negotiations.
The question is who is going to replace him? Giannis Milios is a possible candidate.
Despite being a leading figure of Syriza he decided not to run in the recent general elections. Personally I believe that Syriza MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis also wants the post.
For sure we will have developments on the issue.
LATEST UPDATE
According to sources who spoke to EBR on condition of anonymity, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will “veto” both Papadimoulis and Milios for this specific portfolio.
* Journalist in Euractiv Greece
** Twitter: @sarantismich
By: N. Peter Kramer
