Leader of the Official Opposition

In recent days, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has drawn clear lines between New Democracy and the right-wing opposition.

The Greek political system is going through challenging times. The fragmentation, in whatever direction it takes place in the ideological spectrum, can only act as an impediment to the country's political stability and smooth governance.

It has been 50 years since the founding declaration of New Democracy on October 4, 1974. The declaration was signed solely by Konstantinos Karamanlis, just two and a half months after his return to Greece, following 11 years of self-imposed “exile” in Paris. Thus, the party was established, which, along with PASOK, became the two main pillars of the post-dictatorial Greek Republic.

The office, traditionally used by the leader of the opposition, now belongs to the new SYRIZA Parliamentary Leader, Nikos Pappas.

The order to restrict entry was given by Mr. Pappas while he was away in Thessaloniki for official duties.

Developments within the main opposition SYRIZA party will be in the spotlight this week after its leader, Stefanos Kasselakis, lost a no-confidence vote over the weekend.

The tensions within the party's central committee were intense, further deepening the turmoil that has plagued SYRIZA since its resounding electoral defeat last year.

Although Kasselakis was removed, it is difficult to foresee a revival of SYRIZA in the near future. The crisis will deepen, and we will see many more episodes. There might be agreements on positions, political alliances, organizational structures, priorities, and programs.

Nowadays, the actions of politicians are strongly geared toward their public image. In the era of television and the internet, the image and the message emitted by the prime minister or the leader of the opposition compete with the substance.