2023-06-25 19:41:18
The party of the former Prime Minister came out ahead in the polls this Sunday, June 25, according to the partial results. These should ensure him an absolute majority to form “a stable government”.
The Greek left is sinking. New Democracy (ND), in power from 2019 to the end of May, won the legislative elections with 40.4% of the vote ahead of the left-wing Syriza party of Alexis Tsipras which obtained 17.8% of the vote, according to the partial results bearing in 30% of polling stations. Eight parties have crossed the 3% threshold to enter the unicameral Greek Parliament which has 300 seats, according to these polls. Among them, the far-right Spartans party, supported by a former executive of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn formation, Ilias Kassidiaris, who is currently serving a heavy prison sentence.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, welcomes his victory which gives him “a strong mandate”. Head of government from 2019 to the end of May, he had won a big victory five weeks ago by winning 40.79% of the vote. Syriza’s double. But this advance had not brought him the absolute majority required to form a government without having to forge an alliance. The leader of ND had ruled out building a coalition and called for new elections, counting for that on a voting system which this time grants the party that came out on top a “bonus” of up to 50 seats. In fact, this election might guarantee the right 157 seats out of the 300 in the unicameral Greek Parliament, according to analysts.
Alexis Tsipras therefore takes another heavy defeat following a stinging setback five weeks ago when Syriza fell to 20.07% of the vote, a drop of more than 11.5 points compared to 2019. The question of his future at the head of the party should now openly arise when already following the defeat of May 21, the former Prime Minister (2015-2019) and troublemaker of the radical left in Europe had admitted having considered resigning.
Outside his polling station in Athens on Sunday, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greeks were voting “to obtain a stable and effective government” for the next four years. For his part, Alexis Tsipras warned once morest an “uncontrolled government” in the event of a large victory for the right and called for “a balance in our democracy and our political system” with “a strong opposition” capable of playing its role.
Two potential obstacles might present themselves for Kyriakos Mitsotakis. On the one hand, the possible weariness of the voters, called twice to the polls in five weeks. On the other hand, the crumbling of the voices, in particular on the right of the conservatives where three small formations dispute the votes of the sympathizers of the extreme right and the nationalists. However, the number of parties represented will have arithmetic consequences on the number of seats allocated to New Democracy. On Friday, he even raised the specter… of a third ballot in August, when most Greeks take their holidays.
In recent days, he has called on the Greeks to grant him a large majority. By largely turning away from Syriza, the Greeks have indeed shown that they definitely want to turn the page on the years of bitter financial crisis and bailouts under drastic conditions which have considerably impoverished them.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis has also continued to brandish his economic record, marked by a rebound in growth, to 5.9% in 2022, and falling unemployment following the last decade of the crisis. During the campaign, this 55-year-old Harvard graduate promised wage increases, especially for the lowest incomes, the main concern of Greeks who suffer from the high cost of living.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis has also pledged to carry out massive hiring in the public health sector, which has suffered from a glaring lack of resources since the financial crisis and the drastic slimming treatments imposed in many public services.
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