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The leader of center-right New Democracy (ND) Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated on Wednesday his intention to call a re-run of the general elections if his party is not able to secure an outright majority on July 7.

Conservative opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Tuesday that there will be neither firings in the public sector nor cuts to benefits if he becomes prime minister after Sunday's general election.
Addressing a rally in Volos, central Greece, the New Democracy chief vowed to enforce performance evaluation in the civil service, a practice vehemently opposed by unionists.

As campaigning heats up ahead of next week's snap election, opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose center-right New Democracy party is leading in the polls, called on Greeks to get out and vote, describing abstention as "the defeat of democracy."
"Not one vote should be wasted," the ND leader said while campaigning in Evros, northern Greece.

New Democracy leads SYRIZA by between 7.8 and 8.2 percentage points - about one percentage point less than in the 26 May European Parliament election - in a new poll conducted by the Pulse polling company and presented tonight on SKAI television's evening newscast.

Ahead of Greece's general election on July 7, main opposition New Democracy maintains an 11 percent lead over ruling SYRIZA, according to a survey by Opinion Poll published on Thursday.

Movement for Change leader Fofi Gennimata has ruled out the prospect of her centre-left party joining a coalition government with the top party in the 7 July general election, which according to all polls will be New Democracy by a wide margin.

"We are seeking a strong mandate in order to overturn the political scene," Gennimata said.

The prospect that the first party may not garner an absolute parliamentary majority has preoccupied pundits and analysts for weeks, with most focusing on the possibility of a coalition government between New Democracy and the centre-left Movement for Change.

By George Gilson

By George Gilson

With the end of the pro-bailout and anti-bailout dilemma that SYRIZA used in 2015 to sweep to power, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras today brandished the threat of a return to austerity if main opposition conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis comes to power.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras insists on challenging opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis to a TV debate. He believes he comes across better, as does everyone in SYRIZA and possibly even most people in New Democracy. I admit that I thought so too, from 2016, when Mitsotakis was elected president of ND, until now.