Greece parliamentary election - September 20, 2015

[politicus]

Kudos to SYRIZA for their effective transformation and evolution from a revolutionary movement into a electoral machine  and governing party.  Its one thing to win or do very well  in a high turnout wave election based on widespread anger at the establishment.  It is quite another to win in a low turnout election in a climate of apathy.  To win the latter require real grassroots organization with effective connections with local vested interests and related support groups.  That   SYRIZA can do well in such an election means they have matured into an effective election machine.

I think they're becoming the main big tent left of centre force and will continue to consolidate the center left over the next few years.

Yeah, they are being Pasokified, that much is obvious.

[politicus]

Why did Potami lose so much, BTW? You'd have thought Tsipras' acceptance of austerity would have proved them right.

After reading some comments and doing some thinking:

Three effects:

1) sh**tty campaign + uninspired leader - especially debate performance.

2) Losing votes to Pasok, which then lost moderate left wingers to new "responsible" and moderated Syriza (leftwards transfer).

3) Losing votes directly to moderate Syriza.

4) BKs idea that they lost the non-ideological protest vote to Union of Centrists.

My hypothesis is a mix between 1 and 2 were the main factors.

[politicus]

I imagine the 50 seat bonus also trapped a lot of the mini parties, especially Potami and LAE.

LAE, sure, but the former Potami voters were people that didn't care last time, so it can't explain their loss. ND has been more moderate this time, less reason to fear them for centrists than when they pandered to the "floating" right wingers last time.

[politicus]

Who are the "centrists"? Are you referring to the union of dentists?

Nah Just voters not identifying with the right or left. Greece has a history of an unusually sharp left/right dichotomy, so people who dont identify with either side or tradition. Last time Syriza was still red and ND was pandering to the hard right - with some pretty militant rhetoric from some of their candidates.

[politicus]

Why did Potami lose so much, BTW? You'd have thought Tsipras' acceptance of austerity would have proved them right.

After reading some comments and doing some thinking:

Three effects:

1) sh**tty campaign + uninspired leader - especially debate performance.

2) Losing votes to Pasok, which then lost moderate left wingers to new "responsible" and moderated Syriza (leftwards transfer).

3) Losing votes directly to moderate Syriza.

4) BKs idea that they lost the non-ideological protest vote to Union of Centrists.

My hypothesis is a mix between 1 and 2 were the main factors.

another major factor in To Potami's downfall is the dissociation between their claim to be a party of technocrats but ran a campaign of nothing but one-line zingers

That goes under sh**tty campaign.