If so many images and reports of so many riots and so many rounds of political wrangling are not enough to assure observers that the politico-economic crisis in Greece is not only far from minor, and far from over, and far from facile to resolve no matter how that might be done, today’s arrest of Ilias Kasidiaris, a far-right/neo-Nazi member of Greek parliament, should well underscore all of that.
While discussing, ostensibly, political matters on a news program, two leftist female deputies were attacked by Kasidiaris after one of the women, Rena Douru, brought up his involvement in illicit activities. He slung water at her, then slapped another. Really, he slapped her around, taking a few very full swings. The clip is sadder and more violent that mere mention makes it seem.
Watch the clip below.
To further politicize the news a bit:
Obviously, this will not bode well for the MP’s increasingly popular party, Golden Dawn. That’s good. They don’t quite represent a promisingly democratic demographic. Not even remotely.
A delegitimized far-right could bode well for the far-left, i.e. for the also increasingly popular Syriza party (represented here by Douru), whose largely anti-Euro stance could soon lead to Greece’s exit from the common currency.
Grexit, it’s come to be termed.
Whether that’s good or bad, and for whom and how long, are different discussions. The implication is clear enough.
As is one more: Given the word’s etymology, a ‘parliament’ is really not just a place a place where members tend to argue (at times healthily, sure, and entertainingly), but rather a place where representatives are supposed to ‘parler,’ i.e. ‘talk.’
Filtering out those who can’t quite do so is a good exercise. One that a great many political bodies might add to their workouts.
If they care to work things out, that is.
You can follow Paul D’Agostino on Twitter @postuccio