Cabinet Reshuffle

“History never pities those who do not recognise that in life there are values that are more important than fleeting offices,” SYRIZA sources said, wishing Apostalakis “good luck”, with more than a touch of irony.

It is hardly the first time for a Greek government to appoint as minister a cadre of the main opposition. Such moves are designed to signal a broadening of the ruling party’s ideological and electoral base.

Nikolas Yatromanolakis is the first openly gay cabinet minister in Greek history and that is no small thing. It is a bold, completely destigmatising move that sends a message to various quarters.

The PM right now has the opportunity to set the tone and to lay the groundwork for the changes that he wants, as a reshuffle for show or merely on paper is simply unacceptable.

The problems the government faces are due largely to the personal strategies of ministers stab each other in the back on a daily basis.

For weeks there has been talk of not implementing legislated pension cuts, even as the government is pledging a variety of social benefits

A government that came to power by denouncing “the old” political system is now being fueled by former members of that “old” system

The new cabinet signals the continuation of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ tight embrace with his junior coalition partner, Defence Minister Panos Kammenos

The objective of the reshuffle was to give the government a new momentum and to broaden SYRIZA’s political base ahead of the next general elections

One of the key objective of the reshuffle is to bolster SYRIZA’s opening toward centre-left voters and politicians

The government is trying to turn attention to the impending bailout exit and to the upcoming cabinet reshuffle