This past week was not the best for the Greek centre-left, and that is due mainly to the stance of certain losers in the first round of the Movement for Change [KINAL] party’s leadership election.

There were arbitrary assertions about the distant past, unfounded charges about groups of voters being directed, and sudden charges of electoral improprieties (which were revoked immediately to avert further harm).

It would be well for this unfortunate interlude to be swiftly forgotten.

With the new leader that will be elected tomorrow, KINAL-PASOK should begin, united and strong, the campaign for the renewal and rebirth of the great democratic party.

It owes it to its history. It owes it to its late leader, Fofi Gennimata (the emotional outpouring stirred by her death was one of the basic factors in the massive turnout in last week’s first round of voting), and it owes it to the country, which needs a contemporary, serious, pro-European, Social Democratic party.

It needs to do all this in order to be able to function as a constructive opposition party, and even possibly to rise to power in the future.

It is not an easy task. The Left, not only in Greece but internationally, is prone to split-ups and populism. The new leader of KINAL/PASOK will be called upon to renounce that political tradition.

The first thing it must do is for intra-party rivals to extend a hand of friendship and cooperation to each other.

Secondly, it must invite all those who abandoned the centre-left, because they were disappointed or deceived, to become active once again.

Thirdly, it must lay the groundwork for processing comprehensive proposals for the solution of the major problems that confront the country, with the first being the management of inequality at all levels.

Tomorrow’s winner must avoid two things – arrogance and introversion.

If he succeeds, the centre-left may turn out to be a great, positive surprise.

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