With the ruling New Democracy Conservatives in disarray over the Athens’ Mayor’s race – officially supporting one of its lawmakers as a candidate and snubbing another – who had the office – incumbent George Kaminis has picked up the support of the marginal Democratic Left (DIMAR) which backed him when he ran four years ago.
DIMAR leader Fotis Kouvelis, whose party barely registers at about three percent in polls, gave his “unreserved” support for the incumbent mayor, congratulating Kaminis and his team for their “emancipated and independent work in local government.”
In 2010, Kaminis campaigned for the role of Athens Mayor following a proposal by DIMAR and with the support of socialist PASOK, which remains the second party in the ruling coalition. Kaminis has since become an Independent and hasn’t aligned himself with any single party.
Having decided not to back incumbent Kaminis, who is running as an independent, New Democracy put up MP Aris Spiliotopoulos although another ND MP, Nikitas Kaklamanis, who was beaten by Kaminis, said he’s running against his own party’s choice and will set up a separate political group to run for Mayor while still staying in New Democray, causing some confusion.
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