Greek conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis is poised to secure a second term as prime minister

Preliminary results and media reports indicate that Greek conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis is poised to secure a second term as prime minister. His party, New Democracy, has obtained 40.3% of the vote, establishing a substantial lead of 20 points over the centre-left Syriza party. Mitsotakis called for new elections after the May national elections when a single-party government could not be formed. In this election, Mitsotakis’ victory margin seems to be increasing, as his conservatives had already outperformed Syriza by a 20-point margin in the previous election.

Mitsotakis, aged 55, is credited with successfully stabilizing and fostering growth in the Greek economy following a severe debt crisis and multiple international bailouts. Despite the cost-of-living crisis affecting many Greeks, voters chose the party that promised lower taxes and improved public health.

The election took place 11 days after a tragic incident involving a migrant boat off the coast of Greece, resulting in an estimated 500 deaths. However, the tragedy had minimal impact on the campaign, as voters prioritized economic stability. Under Greek election rules for a second election, the conservative party is granted a bonus number of seats in parliament based on the final results.

The new far-right Spartans party is set to surpass the 3% vote-share threshold required to enter parliament. The party gained political traction after another far-right party, the Greeks, was banned by the Greek Supreme Court. The founder of the Greeks, Ilias Kasidiaris, who is currently incarcerated, lent support to the Spartans.

While New Democracy is on track for a significant victory, the left-wing vote is fragmented. The Socialist PASOK party is expected to secure over 11%, while the Communist KKE party stands at around 7%.

Mitsotakis has developed a reputation for weathering crises, having navigated through damaging incidents in the past year. For example, he faced widespread protests following Greece’s most devastating railway accident on February 28, which claimed many lives. The protestors demanded accountability for the inadequate safety measures in Greece’s railway system.

Additionally, Mitsotakis weathered a wire-tapping scandal involving the illegal surveillance and wiretapping of Greek politicians, journalists, and public figures by the state. The scandal resulted in the resignation of the intelligence chief and Mitsotakis’ own nephew, Grigoris Dimitriadis, who served as the prime minister’s chief of staff.