In an interview with the newspaper “TA NEA” General Secretary of the Central Committee of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas, among other things, touched upon the electoral race in which the KKE will participate in 2023. Below are excerpts from interviews relating to a specific issue.
2023 is an election year for Greece too. Parliamentary and municipal elections. What do you think, as a party, is at stake in a national election? Why would a 25 year old young man to vote for the KKE?
A 25-year-old young man living in a “permanent crisis”, previously associated with memorandums, then with a pandemic, and now with high prices, war, uncertainty about tomorrow, has evidence and the names of those who were next to him, and who was on the other side of the barricades.
His disappointment in the political system, in constant false promises, corruption, and hypocrisy is fully justified. He needs to understand that there are those who serve this rotten and corrupt bourgeois political system, and those who fight daily to create the preconditions for its change and overthrow. The KKE belongs to the second category, so it has every reason not only to vote for the KKE, but also to participate with it in the daily struggle. In fact, this is at stake today. Everyone else tells him: “Sit on the couch and vote.” We tell him: “Act, organize, fight in every way, participating in the elections.” There is a huge difference…
Increasingly, there is talk of a progressive government, mainly as a strategy for SYRIZA. If necessary, will you enter into such a conversation?
The working class, the Greek people, will never forgive us for choosing to participate in or tolerate such a “progressive” government. In politics and in life in general, the principle “I am what I say” does not apply. The last time the SYRIZA strategy called for a government against the memorandum. We know the outcome – the government most loyal to the memorandums of all previous governments was formed. What does “progress” have to do with SYRIZA’s commitment to EU capital and corruption? What does “progress” have to do with the Mitsotakis bills voted by SYRIZA and PASOK, concerning both the Recovery Fund and the construction of a commercial center at Elliniko and special economic zones in the shipbuilding industry? What does the strategy in the energy sector have to do with “progress”: the creation of energy exchanges, delignitization, the so-called liberalization of electricity prices, etc., which was pioneered by SYRIZA? I have already described to you the lines on which the caricature “progressive” government will move, so the KKE will steadfastly and decisively oppose it. Of course, this trick has been known since the days of PASOK. They use the concept of progress, identified with the interests and righteous struggle of the people, and as a result of their political course, they turn it into a “gift” to big capital and its corrupt system.
On the other hand, there is talk about the stability of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Prime Minister Mitsotakis will pose as a dilemma in the elections stability or instability in the country, as opposed to instability in 2015 under the rule of SYRIZA. What will you say?
The “stability” of ND and Kyriakos Mitsotakis is the stability of the anti-popular policy, which big business needs to advance its interests unhindered. Of course, the goal of ensuring the coveted “stability” of the government, which for the people means instability and uncertainty about the future, is also pursued by other bourgeois parties. The method changes, but not the intended goal. The answer of the people should be the same: the faster the people “burn” various anti-popular government “scenarios”, the sooner the conditions will be created to prevent the adoption of anti-people measures and uphold the gains, new opportunities will open up on the path to the radical overthrow of the capitalist system. Stability for the people means a strong working people’s movement, a strong KKE and at the same time weak anti-popular governments.
There is also talk about whether you will be satisfied with the classic election result of 5%, or 7% or 8%, and what result will be positive for you?
The positive assessment of the high result of the KKE in the elections is directly related to its consistent struggle inside and outside the parliament for meeting the modern needs of the people, for preparing the ground for changing the situation as a whole. A number of qualitative indicators of public opinion polls show that very many – about one in four – recognize that the KKE is a reliable, consistent and militant political force and that they could potentially vote for the KKE. Therefore, we tell all of them that their intention should be the decision and choice to cast their vote for the KKE.
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