Politics
New polls suggest picking party veteran for president helps PM in goal of mobilising ND base
Two new opinion polls published on Monday indicate that there was a lukewarm reaction among Greek voters to the news that New Democracy veteran Kostas Tasoulas is Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s pick to be the country’s next president, but that this choice is likely to help the PM in his task of rallying conservative support.
Presidential vote creates new battleground as ND and PASOK renew hostilities
The process of electing Greece’s next president is due to begin this week as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s choice of candidate forms the latest point of contention between the government and a main opposition party PASOK.
Aided by opposition parties, PM faces low risk over bland choice of president
Although Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has come under attack from most opposition parties for putting forward New Democracy veteran Kostas Tasoulas as his candidate for the Greek presidency, the ruling party’s rivals have undermined their arguments by also making uninspired proposals for who should succeed Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
Health insurance costs and energy bills provide new avenue for opposition attacks
With the long period of speculation about the identity of the presidential candidate over, PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis must now return to the everyday business of Parliament, where the agenda continues to be dominated by the cost of living. Energy bills have returned to the forefront, while the opposition has stirred up a debate about rising insurance costs.
Mitsotakis puts party unity above consensus with president pick
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has confirmed last-minute rumours by proposing the Speaker of Parliament and New Democracy MP Kostas Tasoulas to be the country’s next President.
Jockeying over presidential nomination points to parties' longer-term political goals
The machinations around the election of Greece’s next president are gathering pace ahead of an expected announcement of the government’s candidate this week.
Tactics dominate as Mitsotakis nears decision on presidential nominee
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is preparing to announce his candidate for the Greek presidency, while the opposition parties are also finalising their positions on the issue as each side tries to maximise the potential political benefit from the process.
Mitsotakis gets policy ball rolling as clues sought for decision on next president
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was due to chair his first cabinet meeting of the year on Friday as the moment that he will propose a candidate for the Greek presidency nears.
ND highlights housing initiatives as Athens waste row rekindles hopes of progressive alliance
Tackling the shortage of affordable housing has emerged as one of the top priorities for the New Democracy government in the coming year, as it is seen as one of the main issues with social footprint and potential political costs.
PASOK takes aim at ND with barrage of economic initiatives as PM focusses on party unity
PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis has started the year on the front foot with the first of a series of parliamentary initiatives which he hopes will corner the government on the subject of its handling of the economy.