ATHENS: The conservative party led by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is poised to emerge as the front-runner in Sunday’s election, according to exit polls. However, the party fell short of securing an outright majority, which may necessitate a new election in the coming month.
Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party is projected to have garnered 36 to 40 percent of the votes, placing them comfortably ahead of the leftist Syriza party, led by Alexis Tsipras, which is expected to secure 25 to 29 percent of the ballot.
If confirmed, Mitsotakis will be faced with the decision of engaging in challenging negotiations with rival parties to form a coalition government or opting for a new election, possibly in early July.
Reactions from prominent figures within Mitsotakis’ party suggest that a new election is increasingly likely. Takis Theodorikakos, a minister and senior party official, stated that the result indicated the conservatives could gather enough support in a second election to continue governing autonomously and carry out reforms.
Another New Democracy minister, Theodoros Skylakakis, echoed this sentiment, pointing to the reactions of other parties as an indication that a second election is on the horizon.
Dimitris Papadimoulis, a senior Syriza official and Vice President of the European Parliament, expressed disappointment at the potential outcome, stating that it would fall significantly short of the party’s goals and reflect a failure to rally opposition to the government.
Mitsotakis, a Harvard graduate and former McKinsey consultant, entered the election as the favorite, with Greece experiencing relatively robust economic health.
Unemployment and inflation in Greek
Unemployment and inflation have decreased, and this year’s growth is projected to be twice that of the European Union. However, concerns over stagnant wages and rising costs remain significant for voters, which Tsipras sought to exploit during the campaign.
While Mitsotakis’ victory seemed to diminish Tsipras’ chances of making a political comeback, it shifted attention to the socialist party Pasok-Kinal, led by Nikos Androulakis. Exit polls indicate that Pasok-Kinal could play a significant role, with a potential vote share between 9.5 and 12.5 percent.
Androulakis had been considered a potential coalition partner for Mitsotakis, but their relationship soured after Androulakis discovered he had been under state surveillance.
The wiretap scandal, which emerged last year, resulted in the resignation of the head of the intelligence service and a nephew of Mitsotakis, who held a senior position in his office. Androulakis had previously ruled out forming a partnership with Mitsotakis’ conservatives, although his party is more aligned policy-wise with Syriza.
As the election results unfolded, some Greeks expressed optimism for the future, highlighting the importance of democracy. However, challenges and inequality persist in the country, as voiced by individuals such as Georgios Koulouris, a miner living in Australia who returned to vote. Koulouris emphasized the plight of those living on limited incomes and the brain drain caused by stagnating salaries and rising rents.
In a separate incident, police arrested five individuals near Karditsa in central Greece on suspicion of vote fraud. The suspects were found in illegal possession of ballots and over 6,000 euros ($6,490) in cash.
