Just before we cast the vote

When the pre-election period kicks off with the case of the alleged sexual abuse of a woman by SYRIZA MEP Alexis Georgoulis, nothing bodes well for the path towards the ballot box, and toxicity abounds. As the foul-smelling case of alleged criminal acts takes center stage in the political agenda, the confrontation is bound to ignite each side's baser instincts.

Unexpected incidents in politics are, as a rule, only unpleasant, and the handling of such incidents from political parties - whether they involve disasters, deadly accidents or serious allegations of abusive behavior - usually involve the same general line of defense: "Look who's talking." One can almost guess the arguments and counter-arguments of each side, as is the case with well-known movies, where the lines of the main characters come to mind almost automatically. But this neither diminishes nor does it make...