We may be witnessing a global phenomenon: the rapid emergence of new political parties. We already know their leaders. They’ve issued declarations—broad, ideologically framed statements—but concrete, costed policy proposals remain absent. Campaign speeches and tours have begun; detailed programs, however, are still ‘coming soon.’ That’s not quite normal. It’s putting the cart before the horse.
The Cart Before the Horse
Traditionally, a party forms around a coherent set of ideas designed to address real problems—and only later does a leader step forward to embody that vision. Today, the sequence is reversed: the figurehead appears first, and everything else follows. In opinion polls, voters appear to be choosing personalities—not policies. When substance is sidelined, what we’re seeing isn’t a political choice, but a protest vote.
Pan-Spermia: Promises Without Price Tags
Alexis Tsipras has been showcasing teams of academics and working groups tasked with drafting a program. So far, the few proposals unveiled—aside from a vague call for ‘new transparency’—remain general and lack fiscal grounding. There’s no indication of how much any measure would cost. For instance, free public transport sounds appealing—until you consider that ticket revenues bring in €250 million annually. Likewise, introducing a 13th pension or salary would cost an estimated €4 billion. Such promises open massive budgetary gaps. A party aspiring to govern must explain where the money will come from—and who will bear the tax burden. There are no magic printing presses.
Taxing the Rich? Not So Simple
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—for Greece, there aren’t many ultra-wealthy citizens. If there were more, they’d likely have already left the country. One Tsipras ally proposed taxing luxury yachts—yet yachts measuring 40–60 meters aren’t exactly ‘fast’ (nor are most registered abroad, not under the Greek flag). Another suggested targeting private swimming pools—though clearly, there’s a world of difference between a modest backyard pool and an Olympic-sized one. And heaven help us if that latter hasn’t already been taxed. Elsewhere, threats were made against the former Hilton Athens (now The Ilisian), while others welcomed dividend taxation or promised €4 billion in revenue from just 1,500 high-income AFMs (tax identification numbers).
Black Humor or Bad Governance?
At times, it feels like satire—a sketch from a political revue. But this isn’t comedy—it’s the platform of a new party positioning itself to govern. Tsipras recently claimed that within 24 hours, EL.A.S. (his new party) became the official opposition—and within months, it will form the government. He’s entitled to propose new taxes upon his return to frontline politics; after all, he controls both his personal political capital and the party he founded. Yet having governed Greece for 4.5 years, he owes it—to himself, to the public, and to democratic accountability—to present a coherent, evidence-based, fully costed program. Not a series of off-the-cuff remarks or crowd-pleasing soundbites.