Transforming New Democracy

Kyriakos Mitsotakis is out to transform New Democracy from a center-right party with clear references to the traditional parliamentary Right, into a centrist, liberal political party. The idea is to turn ND into a party with loose ideological principles which will nevertheless be capable of securing majorities in Parliament by making the requisite adjustments.

Mitsotakis is acting in accordance with his nature and convictions in a bid to complete his father's unfinished project. His most recent battle against ND's old regime was bloodless, albeit highly symbolic. He turned down the idea of nominating the incumbent president, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, for a second term as Greece's head of state - a nomination that already had the support of the leftist opposition.

The prime minister has won the battle of weaning ND off what is vaguely understood as the "traditional Greek...