Voters in Greece are participating in a repeat election on Sunday, as former prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis seeks a second term to form the government. Polling stations opened at 7 am and will close 12 hours later, with the results expected by 1700 GMT, according to Reuters.
Mitsotakis is projected to win comfortably, but his rival Alexis Tsipras is hoping to prevent him from obtaining an absolute majority. In the previous election on May 21, Mitsotakis’ New Democratic party emerged victorious, securing a 20-point lead over Tsipras’ Syriza party. However, they fell short of the majority required to govern independently and had to form a coalition. This time, the election rules grant up to 50 bonus seats to the winner, making it highly likely that the New Democracy party will come out on top.
Mitsotakis has called on his supporters to vote and warned of the possibility of a third election if he fails to secure a majority. He expressed the importance of consolidating and continuing the progress made by his party.
Prior opinion polls indicated that Mitsotakis would win with 40-45% of the vote, potentially granting him the bonus seats needed for a single-party government.
In his final campaign rally in Athens, Mitsotakis emphasized the need for a stable government that is not dependent on fragile majorities or external influences. He outlined his plans to increase the minimum wage and pensions, provide tax breaks, and improve the healthcare and education systems in the country.
The migrant shipwreck tragedy that occurred on June 14, resulting in the loss of at least 82 lives with many more feared missing, has overshadowed other issues leading up to the election. Reuters reported that this disaster diverted attention from issues such as the cost of living crisis and a deadly rail crash in February.
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