FROM OUR REPORTER
ATHENS – When the victorious Mitsotakis and his supporters arrived at the palace of the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou at noon yesterday to receive the order to form a government, the changing of the guard had only just begun. It takes place every hour: two soldiers in antique costumes, kepi and clogs switch places. It’s just a ceremony: nobody really takes it apart. The head of the future Greek government also paid a ceremonial visit in less traditional clothing – a midnight blue tailored suit, far removed from the grisaille of old politics. Two hours later he resigned his mandate: “Listen to the other political forces,” he wrote, “I found it impossible to form a government.” I invite the parties to speed up the pleasantries.”
The pleasantries: Today Alexis Tsipras, leader of the left-wing Syriza party, gets the seat that was won in those elections (he expected 31% in the polls, he was just over 20%). However, he has neither the numbers nor the allies to form a government. The socialists of the third party Pasok have ruled out alliances and will be consulted after Tsipras. You will give up. On June 1, the 300 MPs take the oath in Parliament; then Parliament itself will be dissolved. After 25 days he will vote again.
This is where the Electoral Law comes into effect, written by Kiriakos Mitsotakis during his first term as Prime Minister (2019–2023), which grants a performance bonus of up to 50 seats to the winner. He had more than 40% of the votes – “a surprise for everyone, he came first,” says one of his happily – and will thus be able to govern alone.
A political move denied by the opposition. “An all-powerful government must be avoided,” Tsipras said yesterday while acknowledging the setback (which for many analysts spells the end of his career). Radical economist Yanis Varoufakis, whose “Realistic Disobedience Front” emerged from the vote below the threshold, speaks of “Orbanization”: the reference is to the Hungarian leader and his “full powers,” akin to the “broad mandate” that Mitsotakis had says he wants.
But in the name of growth, everything is forgiven. After twelve consecutive rating upgrades, the country could once again achieve the coveted “investment grade”. Yesterday the Athens Stock Exchange celebrated and Greek bonds are now less risky than BTPs.
One of the first to congratulate was the President of European Populations, Manfred Weber: “A great victory for my friend Mitsotakis. The economic recovery is real.” The two party colleagues (in Brussels, New Democracy belongs to the People’s Party) are close allies. In addition to the Bavarian, there is a “magic circle” of Greek advisers who have recently risen to important positions in the EPP: above all Thanasis Bakolas, former adviser to Mitsotakis and now general secretary. And in Brussels there are those who speak of a Munich-Athens-Madrid axis (in Spain we vote in December): Among the social reasons is the federation of the right in the European Parliament, where the EPP is the leading force and the Conservatives (in whose ranks, for example, the brothers of Italy sit) could, as a third party, shift the political balance of the Union further to the right in the next European elections. The leadership in the European Parliament is currently bringing together EPP Social Democrats. “But it would be right to see it again,” says a New Democracy official, secretly pleased. “It is time for the European institutions to better reflect the composition of the electorate. And Europe is going to the right.”