Using the upcoming Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) as a launching pad, the government is mapping out its tactical approach against political opponents, seeking to shift the political debate onto the field of economic policy — an area where Kyriakos Mitsotakis‘s government holds a “comparative advantage” over the opposition. In this context, the government’s TIF strategy will lean toward a pre-election — but not handout-driven — approach, aiming to draw a clear line between its own economic policy and that of Nikos Androulakis’s PASOK and Alexis Tsipras‘s SYRIZA, with a focus on capturing the political center.
Maximos Palace’s strategy against three rivals
Against this backdrop, and despite persistent recommendations for the Prime Minister to call snap elections, the decision to hold elections on schedule was ultimately favored. The rationale is that a prolonged pre-election period will gradually exhaust political opponents. Mitsotakis’s close associates believe that time is on the government’s side, as it will have room to capitalize on its governing record — with the dual goal of reversing the dissatisfaction registered among a significant portion of the electorate and strengthening Mitsotakis’s standing relative to other party leaders.
At the same time, however, the radar at Maximos Palace remains firmly trained on consolidating New Democracy’s traditional voter base and “repatriating” those who have drifted away from the government. Inevitably, the widely rumored new political party being considered by former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has put Maximos Palace on high alert. The government has since abandoned its low-key approach toward the Messinian politician and is now leaving none of his criticism on national issues unanswered.
Aggressive rhetoric
Within Maximos Palace, it is assessed that Antonis Samaras has already made up his mind to launch a new political party primarily targeting right-wing voters. In this climate, the former Prime Minister is expected to intensify his aggressive rhetoric against the government in the coming period, focusing on Greek-Turkish relations, immigration policy, and the so-called “woke” agenda.
In any case, the ruling party will recalibrate its strategy toward the former Prime Minister should he formally announce a new political movement — which would inevitably be treated as a threat to New Democracy’s goal of securing an outright parliamentary majority. Government officials believe, however, that a potential “Samaras party” would not significantly dent New Democracy’s electoral performance, as it appears likely to cause greater damage to parties already positioned further to the right.
Regardless of Samaras’s decisions, the central pre-election priority for New Democracy’s headquarters remains the same: solidifying the party’s traditional base and reactivating its network of cadres across the entire country.
For his part, the former Prime Minister seized on Ankara’s publication of Presidential Decrees establishing two maritime parks in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean — areas that overlap with Greek sovereign rights and Greece’s undelimited continental shelf — to renew his sharp criticism of the Mitsotakis government’s handling of foreign policy, signaling the line he intends to pursue through to the next elections.
Center-left
Regarding the approach toward Nikos Androulakis and Alexis Tsipras, Maximos Palace is in a mode of strategic realignment, closely monitoring developments within the opposition and adjusting its tactics accordingly.
The government majority is applying pressure on PASOK in the arena of centrist reform politics, staking an exclusive claim on middle-class and centrist voters, while simultaneously highlighting internal divisions and PASOK’s wavering stance on key legislation — all in an effort to cast doubt on the party’s genuine reform credentials.
As for Alexis Tsipras, the government’s strategic team is reaching back to 2023, given that the confrontation with the then-SYRIZA leader has historically been defined by sharp ideological and political rivalry.
The track record of the Tsipras government will therefore be continuously brought back into the spotlight through to the spring of 2027, drawing a clear dividing line between political stability and the risk of plunging the country into another crisis.
Originally published in Apogevmatini
