Against the backdrop of signs of improvement in ND’s percentages in the latest polls and the now clearer characteristics that the political landscape is taking shape with ahead of the upcoming national elections, the government is moving to the next phase of its planning.
The strategy being developed by the Maximos Mansion moves along two axes.
The first concerns stemming leaks to the right, with a clear response to the criticism of Antonis Samaras and, overall, to all those who question the government’s choices, mainly on national issues. The founding of the former prime minister’s new party is just around the corner, the number of voters who will trust him is a pivotal factor for the final election result, and the prime minister’s staff is looking for ways for this intense activity to have the fewest possible consequences for blue-party percentages.
In this equation, the government camp has in recent days also incorporated the battle of ideas against the left, in the wake of the murder of Vagia Nestora in Thessaloniki, combined with the doctrine of law and order. Hence the bet on apprehending the perpetrators.
The second axis of the government’s planning concerns the center space. At the Maximos Mansion they estimate that the return of Alexis Tsipras and the findings of the latest surveys are bringing back a familiar political bipolarity, which limits PASOK’s room to emerge as the main alternative proposal for power.
The emergence of the former prime minister as the main political opponent, according to this specific line of argument, is not addressed only to the Left, but also to moderate and centrist voters who identify themselves as close to PASOK, but seek political stability in the face of the… danger of a return to the past and whom the ruling party is targeting.
The common denominator of these two different audiences, each with different political reflexes, is undecided voters. At Maximos, also according to polling findings, they know that the largest electoral reservoir consists of citizens who voted for ND in 2023, but today declare themselves cautious and keep their distance without having shifted to another party formation. It is to them primarily that they are appealing, invoking the need for reliability and continuity in the country the next day.
Major challenges
Within this framework also falls the strategy highlighted by Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his latest public interventions as well, on the one hand with the review of the government’s work so far and on the other with a description of the plan for “Greece of 2030.”
The goal is for the public discussion to be shifted to the major challenges of the next five years: the completion of the constitutional revision, the acceleration of economic growth through new investments, the utilization of artificial intelligence in the production process, addressing the demographic problem, the energy transition, and geopolitical realignments.
According to this narrative, “ND is the only political force that presents a comprehensive plan for these challenges.”
In the same logic also falls the prime minister’s reference to the need for a new government term. As he argues, many of the changes that have already been set in motion must become irreversible, while he sets as priorities the constitutional safeguarding of fiscal responsibility, the further strengthening of growth, and the greater convergence of citizens’ disposable income with the European average.
At the same time, he sends the message that until the elections there will be no relaxation of the government’s work. He sets as key milestones the completion of the projects and reforms linked to the Recovery Fund, as well as the implementation of a dense legislative program, noting that his priority is for the pace of government action to remain undiminished.
At the same time, the intense organizational activity in ND, with continuous tours, meetings, and activation of the party mechanism under the new secretary of the Political Committee, Konstantinos Kyranakis, constitutes for Piraeus yet another tool for reconnecting with the party base, as the aim is not to lose even a single vote from the Center-right. The degree of rallying among blue-party voters on election night will determine to a great extent the future of the country, but also of the party.