New Democracy marks 50th anniversary with notable absences

New Democracy "neither looks left, nor right, but straight ahead," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a rally marking the party's 50th anniversary outside its historical headquarters on Rigillis Street in Athens on Friday night that was marked by the notable absences of two former leaders.

"In a spacious party sometimes not everyone will agree, obviously, on everything, but many will agree with much, especially on issues critical to our homeland," Mitsotakis said.

Absent from the celebrations were former leaders and prime ministers Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras. In recent months, Samaras and Karamanlis have expressed concerns about New Democracy's ideological direction under Mitsotakis. Both former leaders, who were personally invited by Mitsotakis, announced on Friday that they would not be attending the event. 

In his address, Mitsotakis...