Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greek Prime Minister and leader of the New Democracy New Democracy party, in front of his party's headquarters in Athens. © Socrates Baltagiannis/
The opposition has been relegated to the back benches, and its own result has been improved once again: the Greek conservatives are flying high. However, it is still not enough to form a government.
Athens - Despite a landslide victory for the ruling conservative party in the parliamentary elections, Greece is facing another election. After his success on Sunday evening in Athens, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis invoked a clear mandate from the voters.
His New Democracy (ND) party was at about 40.8 percent after almost all votes were counted - an increase of about one percentage point compared to the 2019 election. However, due to changes in Greek electoral law, the ND, which has so far been the sole governing party, would now have to enter into a coalition.
New elections probably very soon
However, Mitsotakis ruled out an alliance with other parties, so that there is likely to be a new election. "The fact that we govern alone is the only way to implement the reforms that we are planning and that the country also needs," said the conservative head of government. There can be no effective government with uncertain parliamentary combinations and political haggling. Both lead to a dead end. Mitsotakis hinted that the new election could take place as early as next month.
Voters have acknowledged the progress Greece has made over the past four years under New Democracy, he said. "And they demand that we move forward even faster and with bold reforms." It is important to make up for the lost ground that separates Greece from the other EU countries. The left-wing Syriza party of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras suffered heavy losses: it remained the strongest opposition party with about 20 percent, but lost more than ten points.
Election loser Tsipras vows change
The conservatives have a chance of gaining sole power after another election because of a special feature in the electoral law of the EU and NATO country with its approximately 0.5 million inhabitants. In the current election, simple proportional representation applied: mathematically, one or more parties must win 48 percent of the vote in order to govern. In the next elections, on the other hand, the strongest party will automatically receive at least 20 additional seats in parliament - which would probably put ND back in government on its own.
The third strongest force was the social democratic PASOK with about 11.6 percent (2019: 8.1 percent). The Communists also made it into parliament with 7.1 percent and the right-wing populist Elliniki Lysi with 4.4 percent. The left-wing party Mera25 of former Finance Minister Giannis Varoufakis and the ultra-conservative Niki failed to pass the three percent hurdle.
"Political battles have victories, but also defeats," Tsipras, who lost the election, said late in the evening. "Our party committees will meet immediately to analyze the results." The next election is coming up soon. So you have to make changes quickly in order to deliver the best possible election campaign.
The financial crisis has left its mark
Syriza had campaigned for votes with a massive increase in the welfare state, wanted to increase pensions and minimum wages and tax the economy more heavily. However, this was obviously less successful than the Conservatives' programme to further stabilise the country after the severe financial crisis of the past decade and to whip the economy into shape. Many voters also resent Tsipras for his time in power during the country's severe financial crisis. At that time, he was forced to implement harsh austerity programs. Dpa