Politics
Athens stands by Israel, hopes for de-escalation
Athens instantly condemned Saturday’s attack on Israel by Gaza-based Hamas - Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted on Saturday that he strongly condemns “the atrocious terrorist attack against Israel, causing a high number of casualties among civilians."
Strong showing for ND in first round of local elections amid low turnout
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis interpreted the results of Sunday’s local elections as a “reconfirmation” of the public’s support in his New Democracy party, after candidates backed by the conservatives won seven of Greece’s 13 regional governorships, while ND-supported hopefuls also look well-placed to win the mayorships of Athens and Thessaloniki in run-off ballots next Sunday.
PM struggling to fulfil same-sex marriage pledge, prompting opposition pressure
The issue of same-sex marriage is turning into somewhat of a thorn in Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s side as there appears to be little support from within his party for a change to the law – a fact that SYRIZA is looking to exploit as its new leader Stefanos Kasselakis looks to burnish his liberal credentials, especially when compared to the conservative leader.
Kasselakis looks to rehabilitate foreign policy credentials with Cyprus visit
The new leader of SYRIZA Stefanos Kasselakis made his first trip abroad this week with a visit to Cyprus. The move was a symbolic gesture intended to correct the poor impression made by Kasselakis during his campaign, when he referred to Turkish-occupied territory on the island as a “statelet”.
ND targets eye-catching wins in local elections as SYRIZA officials agree tentative truce
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is out on the campaign trail this week as the government looks to put its recent difficulties behind it through a strong performance in this weekend’s local elections.
Mitsotakis leans on economic performance in bid to clinch local election dominance
With regional and municipal elections less than a week away, campaigning has moved into gear with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis working to distance New Democracy from the blame attached to his administration for the poor management of natural disasters.
Clash over institutional interference primes political mood ahead of local elections
Although the attention of Greece’s main political parties is shifting to the first round of local elections this coming weekend, the government’s manoeuvring last week - which led to replacement of board members at the country’s communications privacy watchdog – has infuriated the opposition, which is accusing New Democracy of a undermining Greece’s institutions.
Greece aiming to agree updated migration deal with Turkey
The refugee and migrant populations in Greece have risen by more than half compared to last year, according to the latest figures announced by Greek authorities.
Kasselakis starts to open up as early polls show little impact on public opinion so far
Stefanos Kasselakis has given his first TV interview since his shock victory in the SYRIZA leadership race as initial opinion polls indicate his victory has had little impact so far on voters’ views about the parties’ abilities.
Government paves way for major U-turn on migration as opposition warns of interference in regulators
Measures to manage migration, including a major regularisation programme, have been mooted by Greek government officials this week in what could turn out to be major policy reversal for the Mitsotakis administration.