When the polls in Greece closed, polls were published that gave Mitsotakis between 40-44 percent of the vote. The main opponent, the leftist alliance Syriza, looks set to get between 16 and 19 percent. This means that New Democracy has increased its lead compared to the first round of elections in May. Then the governing party got almost 41 percent, against 20 for Syriza.
Instead of trying to negotiate a coalition government, Mitsotakis called a second round of elections, hoping to win his own majority. This time he has a trump card in hand – a new electoral system that gives the largest party up to 50 bonus mandates. If the results of the polling station polls are correct, it means that New Democracy will get more than half of the 300 seats in parliament.
Afraid of vocal slurs
Voting at a polling station in Athens, the prime minister said “we are going to the polls to give the people a stable government for the next four years”.
Ironically, New Democracy’s overwhelming victory in the first round of elections was a threat. The risk was that the voters regarded the election as decided and neglected to go to the polling stations. Mitsotakis has not ruled out calling for a third round of elections.
— I hope we don’t have to see each other again at the beginning of August, Mitsotakis joked on a TV sofa on Saturday.
Now the fears seem to be coming to light.
Awaiting defeat
Mitsotaki’s main rival Alexis Tsipras, leader of Syriza and prime minister between 2015 and 2019, appears to have accepted the expected electoral defeat and the role of opposition leader for the next four years. When he cast his vote, he urged voters not to give Mitsotakis such a large majority that New Democracy can rule without regard to the opposition.
— The election determines whether we get an uncontrolled government or balance in our democratic and political system, said Tsipras.