Commenting on the election results, experts in Hellas note that in recent years of the permanent and arising from an economic, migration, pandemic and inflationary crisis, the country’s electorate has traditionally voted in protest. Thus, since the beginning of 2000 and until last Sunday, any political party that took part in the activities of the Greek government after the first term of the cabinet of ministers has traditionally lost the support of voters. Time and time again, the Greeks, disappointed with life in “a country where everything is there”, have complained about their leaders, be they the socialists Papandreou and the Semites, the conservatives Karamnalis and Samaras, or the “radical left” Tsipras. . All the more surprising was the election result demonstrated the day before by Mitsotakis, 55, and his conservative New Democracy, which, contrary to all forecasts and opinion polls, proved to be even higher than the support received by this political force. . in the previous elections of 2019.
According to Sunday’s voting results released by Athens officials, the Conservatives won an impressive 40.7% of the vote, while the main opposition political force, SYRIZA, posted the lowest result in its short run. political life – 20.07%. Three other parties that entered the country’s parliament – the centre-left PASOK, the Communist Party of Greece and the right-wing Greek Solution – improved their positions slightly (11.4, 7.2 and 4.4%). According to the election results, the “New Democracy” did not obtain enough votes to secure a majority in the 300-seat parliament and form an independent government. In the context of sharp disagreements between Greek politicians, few doubt that they will be able to create a stable coalition government, within the framework of the consultation procedure launched since yesterday. This means that on June 25 or July 2, Greece will have to go through repeated parliamentary elections. This will already take place under a strongly proportional electoral system and, in all likelihood, will finally consolidate the triumph of Mitsotakis, as well as the immutability of the course taken by his government.
Meanwhile, for many in Hellas, it has raised serious questions. Thus, according to February data from the Eurobarometer opinion poll, 88% of respondents in Greece rated the economic situation in Hellas negatively. Ordinary Greeks, traditionally friends of Russia, were not happy with the aggressive stance taken by Kyriakos Mitsotakis towards our country in the context of the Ukrainian crisis – 59% of respondents opposed any arms supply to Kiev (supported by 36%), and 57 percent disagreed with the EU’s reaction to events in Ukraine. Moreover, Mitsotakis’ electoral chances were greatly complicated by the scandal strongly associated with his name related to the illegal electronic surveillance of the leader of the opposition PASOK party, Nikos Androulakis, by the Greek special services, as well as the biggest accident railway in the history of the country close to Tembi, which cost the life on the night of March 1, 57 to Human.
Nevertheless, despite all the grievances, making a choice between the current Prime Minister and the opponent Alexis Tsipras, the Hellenes this time seemed to act on the principle of “the better the devil you know”. Moreover, SYRIZA, which took power in 2015 on the wave of the economic crisis, almost drove the country into complete bankruptcy, and Athens miraculously did not leave the euro zone.
“I think (by the election results – ‘RG’ note) everyone is surprised, including sociologists and politicians themselves. Past elections are a personal triumph for Mitsotakis and a personal failure for Tsipras, as well than a typical result of high absenteeism, which always benefits the ruling party. An easy victory is likely guaranteed for New Democracy in the re-elections, and the Greek center-left will start a long debate on the formation of ‘a united front for the European Parliament elections in 2024,’ senior researcher at the Hellenic Foundation for European and International Studies (ELIAMEP) Georgios Dzogopoulos told RG.
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