The government is approaching the latest summer poll results with caution, but without allowing them to influence its current strategy. The New Democracy party’s undisputed lead—though still far from a majority—has not changed and remains generally stable; however, the consolidation of Alexis Tsipras’s ELAS in second place—with an upward trend, no less—is viewed as a political message that must be interpreted and taken into account. And this is all subject to the possibility that Antonis Samaras might form a new party, which would reshape the political landscape.
At the Maximos Mansion, they do not believe that the answer to these shifting political dynamics lies in a shift toward easy announcements. Instead, the government’s choice is to continue implementing the program on which New Democracy was elected, maintaining a balance between fiscal stability and reforms.
According to relevant sources, in the upcoming elections, the ruling party will seek to appeal to the public once again by highlighting the legacy of its governance, its image of political stability, and the plan it will present for the future.
The main advantage—according to this narrative—that New Democracy has over its opponents is that it can point to concrete achievements in critical areas, ranging from the economy to the digitization of the state, and from strengthening the country’s defense capabilities to bolstering its international standing on the diplomatic front.
A key issue ahead of the elections, according to sources close to the prime minister, is which party will present a coherent, costed, and realistic plan for Greece over the next decade.
Cycle of Benefits
The government’s central position is that the polls will not lead to a change in policy direction. In this context, the possibility of a new round of benefits or pre-election pledges—which they describe as empty promises—is rejected, since, according to Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, “society has paid dearly in the past for empty promises. The question is not who will make the most promises, but who can deliver on their commitments.”
At the same time, they want to emphasize the reformist agenda for the next two years. Examples cited include measures to curb tax evasion, the completion of the Land Registry, changes in higher education, and initiatives to modernize public administration—most recently the Local Government Code, which will be debated today in the plenary session of Parliament.
As for the electoral goal, despite fluctuations in the polls, officials at the Maximos Mansion continue to set their sights on achieving a majority government. As they point out, the current political landscape does not bode well for stable government coalitions, while relations among opposition parties are marked by intense polarization.
In this context, the government’s rhetoric will increasingly focus on the dilemma of political stability and effective governance, with the Prime Minister’s inner circle believing that this debate will take on particular significance as the election approaches. They also point out that the battle in the coming months will not be fought on the battlefield of public perception, but on the battlefield of governance—and it is there, they argue, that the extent of New Democracy’s political dominance will ultimately be decided.