Greek Conservative Leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis Secures Strong Mandate in Election Victory

Greek conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis has secured a bigger win in Sunday’s election, giving his party, New Democracy, a “strong mandate” to bring about change. Mitsotakis had previously defeated his centre-left rival Syriza in May but called for new elections in order to gain enough seats to govern alone. With more than 90% of the votes counted, New Democracy was polling at 40.5%, 22 points ahead of Syriza. The election took place just 11 days after a tragic migrant boat incident off the coast of Greece, in which approximately 500 people are believed to have died. Despite the tragedy, the disaster had little impact on the campaign, as Greeks voted to maintain economic stability. Under Greek election rules, the conservatives are awarded a bonus number of seats in parliament for a second election, and with over 40% of the vote, New Democracy could receive a 50-seat bonus. Mitsotakis expressed his gratitude to the voters, stating that “major reforms will go ahead with speed.” The victory marks a rarity in Greek politics, as few parties increase their share after a first term in office. Mitsotakis is credited with successfully stabilizing and growing the Greek economy after a severe debt crisis and three international bailouts. Despite the cost-of-living crisis faced by many Greeks, voters chose to support the party promising lower taxes and improved public health. The conservative leader has also gained a reputation for effectively handling various crises, including a rail disaster and a wire-tapping scandal. The election also saw the success of the newly created far-right Spartans party, which passed the 3% vote-share threshold to enter parliament. Together with nationalist Greek Solution and ultra-conservative Niki (Victory), the hard right won over 30 seats. The views of most Greek voters have shifted towards stricter, more conservative policies since the migrant crisis, perceiving it as an external threat to national sovereignty.

How did Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his party, New Democracy, achieve a “strong mandate” for change in the Greek election?

Greek conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis has achieved a resounding victory in Sunday’s election, giving his party, New Democracy, a “strong mandate” for change. Mitsotakis had previously defeated his centre-left rival Syriza in May but called for new elections to secure enough seats for a majority government.

With over 90% of votes counted, New Democracy was polling at 40.5%, a significant 22 points ahead of Syriza. The election came just 11 days after a tragic migrant boat incident off the coast of Greece, with an estimated 500 casualties. Despite this devastating event, the disaster had minimal impact on the campaign, as economic stability took precedence in Greek voters’ minds.

Under Greek election rules, the conservative party is awarded a bonus number of seats in parliament for a second election. With more than 40% of the vote, New Democracy could receive a 50-seat bonus. Mitsotakis expressed his gratitude to the voters and affirmed that “major reforms will go ahead with speed.”

This victory is a rarity in Greek politics, as few parties increase their share after a first term in office. Mitsotakis is credited with successfully stabilizing and growing the Greek economy after a severe debt crisis and three international bailouts. Despite many Greeks facing a cost-of-living crisis, voters chose to support the party that promised lower taxes and improved public health. Additionally, Mitsotakis has gained a reputation for effectively handling various crises, such as a rail disaster and a wire-tapping scandal.

The election also saw the success of the newly created far-right Spartans party, which surpassed the 3% vote-share threshold to enter parliament. Along with the nationalist Greek Solution and ultra-conservative Niki (Victory) parties, the hard right secured over 30 seats. The shift in Greek voters’ views towards stricter, more conservative policies can be attributed to the perception of the migrant crisis as an external threat to national sovereignty.