In the aftermath of Greece's second election in five weeks, New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pledged to accelerate reforms following his resounding victory. The election outcome grants Mitsotakis a comfortable parliamentary majority for his second consecutive four-year term as the country's prime minister.
The streets outside the party headquarters in Athens were filled with jubilant supporters, rejoicing and celebrating the triumph with cheers, applause, fireworks, and waving blue and white party flags. With the near-complete results indicating that New Democracy secured just over 40.5% of the vote, Mitsotakis convincingly defeated his main rival, the left-wing Syriza party, which struggled to reach 18%—two percentage points lower than the previous elections in May.
In a televised statement, Mitsotakis declared the electoral result as the beginning of a new and historic chapter for Greece. He acknowledged that voters had granted his party a strong mandate to expedite significant changes necessary for the country's progress. Mitsotakis emphasized that the election marked the closure of a traumatic era characterized by falsehoods and divisiveness that held the nation back and divided society.
Looking ahead to his second term as prime minister, Mitsotakis expressed his determination to transform Greece at a dynamic pace of development. His ambitious agenda includes increasing salaries, reducing inequality, enhancing public healthcare, establishing a more efficient and digitized state, and ensuring a strong and prosperous nation.
Although the election occurred shortly after a tragic migrant shipwreck off Greece's western coast, which claimed numerous lives and raised questions about the country's migration policy, the disaster did not significantly influence voters. Their focus remained primarily on domestic economic concerns.
New Democracy's projected victory in Parliament is expected to yield 158 seats out of the total 300, thanks to changes in the electoral law that grant bonus seats to the winning party. In the previous proportional representation-based election in May, despite securing nearly 41% of the vote, Mitsotakis fell short of a majority by just five seats. Opting for a stronger mandate, he chose a second election rather than forming a coalition government with a smaller party.
However, voter turnout for the recent election was lower, with just under 53% of eligible voters participating, compared to over 61% in May.
The election witnessed the entry of eight parties surpassing the 3% threshold into Parliament, including an ultra-religious party and a far-right party supported by a former lawmaker from the now-outlawed Golden Dawn party, known for its Nazi-inspired ideology.
Mitsotakis, 55, campaigned on a platform focused on securing economic growth and political stability as Greece recovers from a severe decade-long financial crisis.
His main rival, 48-year-old Alexis Tsipras, who served as prime minister during the turbulent years of Greece's financial crisis from 2015 to 2019, now struggles for his political survival. Tsipras had difficulties rallying his voter base following his poor performance in the May elections, compounded by splinter parties formed by some of his former associates.
In a subdued televised statement, Tsipras acknowledged the negative outcome for his party, highlighting its broader implications for society and democracy. He stated that the party members could determine his fate and chart the party's future course in these challenging circumstances.
Mitsotakis, a Harvard graduate and scion of one of Greece's prominent political families, carries forward his family's legacy of public service. With his commitment to rebranding Greece as a pro-business and fiscally responsible member of the Eurozone, his strategy has proven successful thus far. New Democracy's victory in May
