Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his New Democracy party have emerged victorious in a second round of elections, securing an absolute majority in parliament. With over 90 percent of the votes counted, New Democracy has garnered more than 40 percent of the vote.
The left-wing party led by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras received less than 18 percent of the vote. As not all parties reached the 3 percent election threshold, New Democracy gained additional seats, enabling them to secure an absolute majority in parliament.
In his victory speech, 55-year-old Mitsotakis expressed gratitude to the Greek people for giving him a “firm mandate.” He pledged to utilize this mandate to implement much-needed reforms, including robust economic growth, wage increases, and healthcare reform.
This success comes after New Democracy received the most votes in the previous election but fell short of an absolute majority with 40 percent. Rather than forming a coalition with a smaller party, Mitsotakis opted for new elections to secure a majority.
The outcome of the second round of voting signifies a significant shift towards the right in Greek politics. Notably, the far-left MeRA25 party, led by former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, failed to pass the election threshold. Conversely, three right-wing parties, including the nationalist Spartiates (Spartans) party, succeeded in doing so, collectively receiving nearly 13 percent of the vote.
The Greek elections were somewhat overshadowed by a tragic boat accident off the Greek coast, resulting in the loss of hundreds of migrants’ lives. Tsipras, the leader of Syriza, questioned the actions of the Greek coastguard in response to the incident. However, analysts suggest that the government’s strict migration policy, enforced by the coastguard to protect the borders, garnered support from many Greeks.
With an absolute majority in parliament, Mitsotakis and New Democracy now have the opportunity to implement their proposed reforms and steer the country towards their vision for Greece’s future.
What factors contributed to the significant shift towards the right in Greek politics during the second round of voting
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his New Democracy party have emerged victorious in a second round of elections, securing an absolute majority in parliament. With over 90 percent of the votes counted, New Democracy has garnered more than 40 percent of the vote.
The left-wing party led by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras received less than 18 percent of the vote. As not all parties reached the 3 percent election threshold, New Democracy gained additional seats, enabling them to secure an absolute majority in parliament.
In his victory speech, 55-year-old Mitsotakis expressed gratitude to the Greek people for giving him a “firm mandate.” He pledged to utilize this mandate to implement much-needed reforms, including robust economic growth, wage increases, and healthcare reform.
This success comes after New Democracy received the most votes in the previous election but fell short of an absolute majority with 40 percent. Rather than forming a coalition with a smaller party, Mitsotakis opted for new elections to secure a majority.
The outcome of the second round of voting signifies a significant shift towards the right in Greek politics. Notably, the far-left MeRA25 party, led by former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, failed to pass the election threshold. Conversely, three right-wing parties, including the nationalist Spartiates (Spartans) party, succeeded in doing so, collectively receiving nearly 13 percent of the vote.
The Greek elections were somewhat overshadowed by a tragic boat accident off the Greek coast, resulting in the loss of hundreds of migrants’ lives. Tsipras, the leader of Syriza, questioned the actions of the Greek coastguard in response to the incident. However, analysts suggest that the government’s strict migration policy, enforced by the coastguard to protect the borders, garnered support from many Greeks.
With an absolute majority in parliament, Mitsotakis and New Democracy now have the opportunity to implement their proposed reforms and steer the country towards their vision for Greece’s future.
