Pondering the new electoral landscape

With May general elections looming, political party staffs are doing their utmost to diagnose the unfolding political landscape in the aftermath of the deadly train collision in northern Greece on February 28.

The dominant question is whether the anger that is pervading society will take on the dimension of an anti-systemic current while pollsters are already feeling the brunt of people's rage. "They are hanging up on us," one of them told Kathimerini. Another question is what implications the strengthening of the small parties will have for ruling New Democracy's quest to form a single-party government and whether the opposition will be able to benefit, even partially, from the government's attrition. And what's more, will the crash monopolize the electoral debate?

The answers will materialize in the next two months, with opposition parties expected to question the...