Political parties

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.

Istanbul's popular mayor is leading demands for a major change in the main opposition Republican People's Party - as another test in the form of local elections fast approaches.

New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis met on Thursday with former US president Barack Obama, who is visiting Greece and will be speaking at an event at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

Amid an internal debate over how the party should restructure itself following the election defeat, the provincial leaders of the Republican People's Party (CHP) have underlined that change should come through new opinions and principles and not through persons.

"GERB puts the government and the work of the parliament at risk by relying on floating majorities with which they push their decisions", the deputy from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" Kiril Petkov warned today in the parliament. He refers to the failed two hearings of the Minister of Justice Atanas Slavov yesterday - in the plenary hall and before the legal committee.

If Turkey wishes to come closer to Europe and make an opening to the West, Greek-Turkish dialog must resume, New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is leading the polls ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections, said on Wednesday.

The Anti-Corruption Commission i.e. the Commission for Combating Corruption and Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Property (KPKONPI) will be divided in two.
This was decided by the parliament, adopting in the first reading the Law on combating corruption among persons occupying high public positions.

Iliana Ivanova, a member of the European Court of Auditors, is GERB's nominee for European Commissioner, said party leader Boyko Borissov.

Daniel Laurer will be one of the two candidates for Bulgaria's European Commissioner. The decision of Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov is for GERB-SDS to nominate a candidate as well.

So far, the coalition has not commented on who they will nominate. It is possible that they nominate Eva Maidel.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has hinted at the possibility of expanding the six-party Nation Alliance.