Strengthening party unity is one of the New Democracy party’s top priorities, as it is currently far from the levels of cohesion it achieved in the 2023 national elections. Party leaders in Piraeus acknowledge that a significant portion of voters who remain politically aligned with the center-right are currently less active and have distanced themselves from party activities.
In this context, a broad plan to reconnect with the grassroots is being launched, which the new secretary of the Political Committee, Konstantinos Kyranakis, will be tasked with coordinating immediately after his election on Wednesday. The 39-year-old outgoing Deputy Minister of Transport is taking on the critical role of revitalizing the party’s organizations and reconnecting with New Democracy’s former voters.
Government officials believe the new secretary has a distinct advantage: he can communicate effectively with both the party’s traditional base and younger demographics, among whom New Democracy struggles to gain traction.
At the same time, according to the same sources, at a juncture when the formation of a new party by Antonis Samaras is considered highly likely, Mr. Kyranakis’s ability to appeal to more conservative constituencies takes on added significance.
The need to regain strength is even more acute in the Greek provinces and particularly in Northern Greece, where New Democracy’s poll numbers are low. For this reason, the ruling party is launching a series of tours and events starting this week, featuring ministers, deputy ministers, members of parliament, and secretaries-general.
The tour begins in Central Macedonia, with government officials visiting, in succession, the regional units of Serres, Pieria, Imathia, Kilkis, and Pella, seeking direct contact with local communities and identifying the issues of concern to citizens.
The program culminates in Thessaloniki, where the first “Political Academy” for party officials will take place on Thursday, with the participation of approximately 400 party officials from the seven prefectures of Macedonia.
Closed-door events
This initiative is part of a broader plan by Piraeus, under which similar closed-door events will be organized weekly in selected regions across the country. The goal is political education, better informing party officials about the government’s work, and strengthening organizational cohesion ahead of the upcoming election.
At the same time, the government leadership continues to capitalize on the prime minister’s strong political capital, as indicated by the polls. Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to step up his appearances both in Attica and in the regions, with targeted visits and public appearances, while television interviews are also scheduled (the first on Thursday on ANT1), as part of the effort to highlight government initiatives. The philosophy guiding the prime minister until the polls can be summed up in the phrase “We said it, we did it, and we will do even more.”
And this, even as the scenario of going to the polls as late as this fall continues to circulate behind the scenes, should economic conditions and political dynamics necessitate it.
Earlier, at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), the prime minister will open the public purse to various social groups, with an emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises. As government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis emphasized, “Last year’s TIF focused on individuals and sole proprietorships with the largest tax cut we’ve seen in recent years, because this sector needed a breather and needs more. I believe that now it is the turn—without excluding the rest—of businesses, and especially small and medium-sized enterprises.”