To establish himself as a guarantor of political stability and to position New Democracy as the only party speaking about the future with plans and proposals – this is what Kyriakos Mitsotakis wants within an increasingly fragmented political landscape. The opposition now includes seven parliamentary parties (PASOK, SYRIZA, KKE, Greek Solution, New Left, Victory, Course of Freedom), another with parliamentary presence (Democrats – Progressive Center), one with European Parliament presence (Voice of Reason), a former parliamentary party with real hopes of returning (MeRA25), and two newly emerging parties (Hope for Democracy, EL.A.S.).
A total of twelve parties, for which the Prime Minister noted there is common ground: “for this government to go and for Mitsotakis to step down as Prime Minister,” emphasizing that “this does not constitute an alternative political proposal.” With a sarcastic comment about the name Tsipras chose for his party, he said: “Now, what can I say about the name? I imagine he left EAM to Mr. Polakis and kept only ELAS.”
Mitsotakis’s strategy against opposition fragmentation: “We said it, we did it”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as his associates emphasize, has decided, in view of the 2027 elections, to speak to citizens and continue the government’s plan for the next phase. “The logic on which the Prime Minister will move in the coming months, continuing his tours throughout the country, is summarized in the phrase ‘We said it, we did it, and we will do even more.’ We estimate that this comparison with the opposition, which today is fragmented and in turmoil – especially on the Left, which has become highly splintered with new parties constantly being created – will be reflected in the 2027 elections, as citizens want two things in turbulent times: stability and above all prospects,” the same associates note and conclude: “Thus, facing a government that, despite its problems and mistakes, has a plan for the next day, there is an opposition recycling its own internal issues in a competition with a common goal: to remove ND and Mitsotakis from the Prime Ministry. Something that certainly does not constitute an alternative political proposal.”
Mitsotakis’s messages for Tsipras and Karystianou
The Prime Minister positioned himself clearly and analytically for the first time on Wednesday regarding both Karystianou’s new party and Tsipras’s new party, with the government certainly waiting to see if Antonis Samaras will also announce his own party, with related rumors recently multiplying. “Mr. Tsipras was Prime Minister, was judged as Prime Minister, was my opponent when I was opposition leader. He was judged as opposition leader in the 2023 elections. He will now be judged as leader of a party that has not yet left any mark,” Mr. Mitsotakis said (at the Health conference organized by ygeiamou.gr and “Proto Thema”), while insisting on the political narrative that he and his government speak and plan for the future, while other parties do the opposite. “Whether it will be SYRIZA with a new tax number or something different, we don’t know, but so far, what I heard yesterday seemed more like a spectacular ‘dive’ into the past rather than a discussion about the future, which we must essentially have in our homeland,” he said characteristically.
Regarding Maria Karystianou, he chose to separate the mother who lost her child in a “national tragedy,” as he characterized it, from the political party leader, for whom he reserved specific criticism. “I always have a natural reservedness toward those who believe that everyone else is ‘bad, corrupt’ and more or less ‘would be better off in prison’ and ‘only we can save the country.’ The country has experimented with self-appointed saviors; that didn’t go very well in the past,” Mr. Mitsotakis said, adding that “beyond that, I emphasize, I respect every political opponent, I respect Ms. Karystianou as a person, but now that she has entered the political arena, she must be judged on her positions.”
