Mitsotakis Eyes Likely Majority in Second Greek Election

Leader of New Democracy party Kyriakos Mitsotakis greets people at a rally in Thessaloniki, Greece, 21 June 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/ACHILLEAS CHIRAS

Almost a month ago, Mitsotakis emerged as the big winner of May 21 elections, taking 40.83 per cent of the vote and leaving his main rival, Alexis Tsipras, and the left-wing party SYRIZA far behind on 20.07 per cent.

Mitsotakis has been Prime Minister since 2019. The financial markets favour him, as he is seen as a stable and secure choice. Inside Greece, his rule was shadowed, among others, by the fatal train accident in Tempi that cost the life of 57 people and the wiretapping scandal,  in which journalists, politicians and others were illegally monitored. However, voters still prefer him.

The May 21 elections were held under a simple proportional system, whereby the first party had to win 151 seats out of 300 to form a government. Neither political leader accepted the President's mandate to form a coalition government. Mitsotakis made it clear that he wanted a majority.

"Next Sunday, the country will have a stable government, with the self-reliant New Democracy at the helm," said Mitsotakis said in a speech at Nea Moudania, Chalkidiki, northern Greece, on Tuesday.

​​SYRIZA failed in the first round to convince the centre-left party PASOK, the Greek Communist Party, KKE, and Yanis Varoufakis's MERA25 to form a progressive alliance.

The fact that it focused its campaign on targeting Mitsotakis left ambiguities regarding its political positions on specific issues that had consequences on the voters' decision.

"We saw a strongly negative campaign, particularly targeting Mitsotakis. And we saw a lot of ambiguity in terms of policy. Many people do not know SYRIZA's position on...