Familiar names in epic Greek clash
In this weekend's Greek general election, voters are being asked to choose between two very familiar political names. CNN's European Political Editor Robin Oakley reports.
Many Greek voters are sore about price rises that accompanied Greece's entry into the euro -- bad for the PASOK socialist government.
Its New Democracy opponents claim that efforts to privatize state industries -- a move designed to boost the economy -- are too timid.
But PASOK, in power for most of the past 20 years, is running on a high growth rate and lower unemployment, and insists that its opponents don't have the experience to cope.
PASOK candidate for prime minister, George Papandreou told CNN: "We have a very important legacy from our previous governments of security in the region, working in a new foreign policy with our neighbours, particularly Turkey, a sense of security in our economy from being in the euro zone, with the highest growth rate in Europe today."
But his opponent, Conservative party leader Costas Karamanlis, told CNN that Papandreou's predecessor as party leader, Prime Minister Costas Simitis, stepped down as "an acknowledgement of defeat and failure."
"Mr Papandreu essentially is a continuation of Mr Simitis's government and policy. I have nothing personally against him, but, on the other hand he represents a certain policy. But that policy is not new."
What most Greeks would like to see, say commentators, is a government that will tackle bureaucracy and corruption.
"There is petty corruption at administrative level" says Christos Hadjiemmanuil of the London School of Economics. "People pay bribes in order to accelerate their business."
 Karamanlis is nephew of a former Conservative premier. |  |
Karamanlis's New Democracy party led in opinion polls for a year. But the arrival at the top job of the personally popular Papandreou has seen the gap narrow sharply, opening up the election.
But if you want something really new in Greek politics, say analysts, think again.
Papandreou is the son of Andreas Papandreou, founder of Pasok. Karamanlis is the nephew of Constantine Karamanlis, a former Conservative prime minister.
Dynasty rules.
"Again we have a battle between a Papandreou and a Karamanlis -- if I can remember it's the sixth time a Papandreou and a Karamanlis have clashed in an election," says political analyst Christos Mouhasiris.
"I am very, very honored to have such a name," says Papandreou. "It is a heavy responsibility but it is the Greek people in the end who make the decision."
Karamanlis said it may be a historial conicidence, but he was concerned more with policies.
"We represent different political proposals," says Karamanlis.
Men or measures, politics or personalities, it's looking like a tight election contest.
But if the names of the leading contenders are only too familiar to Greek electors, commentators say, there's still hopes that problems like bureauracy and corruption will be tackled.
Because at 47 and 52 respectively Costas Karamanlis and George Papandreou represent a younger, new wave of Greek politicians.
