Time for Greece's center-left to cast off old party habits

Ongoing developments in Greece's center-left are reminiscent of the Greek Communist Party (KKE) in the 1930s: There is an abundance of factionalism, skirmishing and allegations of opportunism. There are also endless discussions about whether change must come from above or below, whether the election of a leader should come before the party is established, and whether the procedure is adequately political or not.

It's already been four years since the formation of the so-called Initiative of the 58. The demand for a single center-left movement, a party that will occupy the political ground between conservative New Democracy and ruling leftist SYRIZA, still stands. But the venture is losing its luster by the year.

What at first seemed like a well-intended venture now seems less so. Polarization is growing and conflict is increasingly turning out to be more personal than...