ATHENS: Greek voters took to the polls again on Sunday in an election where conservative front-runner Kyriakos Mitsotakis sought a second term and an absolute parliamentary majority to form a “stable government.”
Mitsotakis, a 55-year-old Harvard graduate, had already achieved a resounding victory in an election just a month ago. However, falling short of the required seats to form a single-party government, he decided to call for a fresh round of voting, involving 9.8 million Greek voters.
As he cast his vote, Mitsotakis, hailing from one of Greece’s influential political families, emphasized that the country was “voting for a second time in a few weeks to get a stable and effective government.”
Surveys conducted prior to the election indicated a comfortable lead for the conservative leader, while his closest rival, former leftist prime minister Alexis Tsipras, urged voters not to grant Mitsotakis a significant majority that would allow his party to act unchecked.
In the May election, Mitsotakis had triumphed over Tsipras by a margin of over 20 percentage points. According to election rules, the winner of Sunday’s round would receive up to 50 bonus seats, making Mitsotakis’s New Democracy party widely projected to emerge victorious.
Low Voter Turnout in Greece Election
One potential challenge Mitsotakis faced in achieving an outright majority was the possibility of a lower voter turnout due to the perceived predictable outcome. By 4:30 pm, the turnout had reached only 40.7 percent, compared to 48.8 percent during the May vote. Another factor that could impact Mitsotakis’s chances would be the number of small parties surpassing the three percent threshold.
Urging a strong turnout, Mitsotakis warned of the possibility of a third election if he fails again to secure a majority. He stated, “I hope we don’t have to meet again in early August.”
During his term as prime minister since 2019, Mitsotakis had pledged to move past a decade of economic crisis. His government eased tax burdens, provided financial support amounting to over 57 billion euros ($62 billion) to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, and witnessed significant economic growth of 8.3 percent in 2021 and 5.9 percent in 2022. Additionally, his administration reduced taxes and initiated substantial infrastructure upgrades.
The conservative leader’s focus on Greece’s economic recovery resonated with voters fatigued by years of debt and economic hardships. Many expressed their support for Mitsotakis, highlighting their desire for continued economic revival.
While the migrant shipwreck tragedy this month briefly captured attention, it had minimal impact on the election campaign. The campaign primarily centered around economic concerns, with inflation being a key issue. Former prime minister Tsipras called for wage hikes but failed to gain significant traction. Tsipras, who previously lost four electoral contests to Mitsotakis, risked losing his position within Syriza if he faced a fifth defeat in Sunday’s election.
