(Athens) The outgoing Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who won a large victory in the legislative elections, called on Monday for a new ballot in an attempt to secure an absolute majority.
The leader of the right-wing New Democracy (ND) party said he wanted elections “as soon as possible”, “perhaps June 25” during an interview with the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
PHOTO PETROS GIANNAKOURIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Katerina Sakellaropoulou met the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Monday.
Big winner of Sunday’s vote, his party won 40.8% of the vote, according to final results.
Its main rival, Syriza led by former head of government Alexis Tsipras, who embodied the hope of the radical left in Europe when he came to power in 2015, suffered a severe setback with 20% of the vote.
The socialist party Pasok-Kinal, which came third, won 11.5% of the vote.
Triumphant on Sunday evening, Kyriakos Mitsotakis called this victory a “political earthquake” and paved the way for new legislative elections.
No coalition
Because despite the magnitude of his victory, the 55-year-old leader, in charge of Greece since 2019, narrowly misses the absolute majority: his camp obtains 146 seats of deputies. He needed five more to be able to form a government on his own.
The next ballot will take place under a different electoral system. The winning party will then obtain a “bonus” of up to 50 seats. Enough to guarantee him an absolute majority, according to his calculations.
According to the procedure provided for by the Constitution, the president however gave Kyriakos Mitsotakis a mandate on Monday to try to build a coalition.
But as he had announced, he returned it to him a few hours later, ensuring that he saw no possibility of forming a government in the current state.
The Head of State must now entrust this mandate to Syriza. She will receive Alexis Tsipras for this purpose on Tuesday morning. The latter should also return it to him in stride.
PHOTO LOUISA GOULIAMAKI, FRANCE-PRESSE AGENCY
Former head of government Alexis Tsipras
Similar mandates will then be entrusted to the three other parties represented in the new Parliament, without any chance either of succeeding. Faced with this impasse, a high magistrate will be appointed interim prime minister and new elections called.
On Monday, the Greek press oscillated between “shock and admiration” as the left-wing daily headlined Efsyn.
Mr. Mitsotakis himself acknowledged that “the great victory” had “exceeded our own expectations”.
On Syngtama, the main square in the center of Athens, Greeks were divided Monday morning between hope and disappointment.
“We hope that Greece will be much better” now, commented Maria, 68, hailing Mr. Mitsotakis as a manager “who has worldwide recognition”.
Further, Christina Papadopoulou, employed in the private sector and sympathizer of Syriza, said to herself, she, “disappointed by all the left whatever the party” and “by Greek society, by its values and its principles”.
Alexis Tsipras, who has largely refocused Syriza in recent years, has suffered a heavy failure, he who had promised “change”.
While speculation is rife about his future at the head of a formation he has been leading for fifteen years, the person concerned assured that he would not throw in the towel.
” I am the. I won’t give up […] in the midst of a tough fight,” he promised on Monday.
The Greeks have in fact never forgiven him for having crossed swords with the European Union during the stormy negotiations for the granting of a rescue plan in 2015 before capitulating and taking drastic austerity measures whose devastating effects are still being felt.
Another loser in this election: the ex-flamboyant finance minister of Mr. Tsipras, Yanis Varoufakis, who did not manage to keep his seat as deputy.
Struck for his management deemed calamitous of the rail disaster which killed 57 people at the end of February, Kyriakos Mitsotakis was ultimately not sanctioned by the voters. On the contrary, they have shown themselves to be sensitive to its economic balance sheet.
Declining unemployment
Falling unemployment, growth of nearly 6% last year, return of investment and soaring tourism, the Greek economy has regained color after years of crisis and bailouts.
But the decline in purchasing power and the difficulties of making ends meet remain the main concerns of Greeks who have to deal with low wages.
In 2022, inflation approached 10%, further aggravating the difficulties. And the country is still bent under a public debt of more than 170% of its GDP.
The critics of Mr. Mitsotakis, however, accuse him of an authoritarian drift. His tenure has been riddled with scandals, from illegal tapping to the refoulement of migrants to police violence.