The level of debate in Parliament yesterday was a far cry from what one used to see in the tumultuous years of Greece’s bailout memorandum and prior to that.

The difference does not lie in the fact that the seats were almost all empty – only party leaders with a handful of their MPs were allowed in the chamber -due to health precautions to prevent transmission of the coronavirus.

It is the fact that a consensual and constructive climate prevailed in stark contrast to the stance of our politician prior to the pandemic.

Sharp rhetoric was avoided and the debate was conducted with a polite demeanour.

That shows that our politicians when critical conditions demand it can rise to the occasion.

There are disagreements now and there will be in the future and that is as it should be.

Yesterday, however, it was clear that the objective was to earnestly seek the best solutions and forge the necessary consensus to elucidate all aspects of the problem through dialogue and argumentation.

Extremity, sensationalism, and sterile skirmishes were absent.

This unprecedented crisis has confronted party leaders with their true responsibilities and sent a hopeful message of solidarity that was welcome by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

That spirit of consensus in yesterday’s parliamentary session is something that we should preserve and maintain after the pandemic crisis.

That would benefit the political system and parliamentarism in Greece.

Let us hope that yesterday’s acievement will not be a rare exception in the future but rather the rule.

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