The candidacy of SYRIZA’s parliamentary deputy Elena Akrita for the vice presidency of the Greek Parliament has hit a wall, as New Democracy (ND) flatly refuses to support her. ND’s parliamentary spokesperson Notis Mitarakis intervened during the parliamentary session to make clear that the ruling party will not back the nomination, citing strong objections to the candidate herself.
Mitarakis and Mantzoς clash in parliament
“The rules are clear. Parties have the right to put forward candidates, and it is the Plenary that decides. ND deputies do not intend to support Akrita’s candidacy, because we object to the person herself. She embodies the extreme behavior of both ends of the political spectrum from another era, and has engaged in aggressive and toxic conduct,” Mitarakis said, turning his fire on PASOK and accusing the center-left party of abandoning the political center in favor of moving further left. “PASOK is chasing the stray votes of the left and handing the center over to Kyriakos Mitsotakis,” the ruling party’s parliamentary spokesperson said pointedly.
PASOK’s parliamentary spokesperson Dimitris Mantzos hit back at New Democracy, accusing the ruling party of anti-democratic behavior. “It is undemocratic to try to dictate to other parties who they should choose,” Mantzos said meaningfully.
“Fortunately for us, beyond preferences and sympathies, there are also principles. When someone follows principles, they are on solid ground. We have been open to proposals regarding the presidency from the very start,” the PASOK parliamentary spokesperson stressed. He also warned that it would be a “catastrophic mistake” for parliament to operate with one fewer vice president, at a time when the chamber is already functioning with three fewer deputies.
