In the 80s, when blue people walked past green coffee shops, they looked elsewhere. Of course, they do not need to sit together at the same table. Even in the small villages of the region, with 100 inhabitants per person, there were two coffee houses or a coffee shop and a grocery store, where they also served coffee, so that the voters of the two dominant factions at that time did not overlap.

Homeric quarrels occurred even within families. Brothers, cousins, groomsmen and bridesmaids, matted hair! In the parliamentary elections of 1985, at the height of the political polarization between the pasocci and the neo-democrats, or Papandrey and Mitsotaki, a table exploded, a lamb from the Sunday oven fell on the balcony, and delicious potatoes ended up in pots. I still remember the neighbor screaming, “Hey, don’t talk about Andreas like that!” and his wife crying alone as she picked up the broken things.

In 2012, the “national split” returned to the coffee shops. The climate of polarization in the “memorandum or anti-memorandum”, “euro or drachma” society was tense, reminiscent of the 80s, when voters were divided into camps even to drink Freddo’s espresso. Today the climate is not the same, because the conditions are also very different. Election season, however, is always a danger zone.

Tips for avoiding political discussions at the dinner table are not written down anywhere, but let’s remember that neither the holiday nor Sunday dinner with friends or relatives should be spoiled by political disagreements. Even if a person thinks they can control themselves, there will always be a danger that the situation will get out of control, that the conversation will be misinterpreted or lead to another conversation and the situation will get out of control.

It is a pity to miss such opportunities. Good company, well-prepared food and good wine require political consensus and cross-party cooperation.