Election Campaign Officially Launched in Greece

Greece officially launched the election campaign on Saturday after PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the dissolution of parliament and the holding of elections on May 21.

Visiting Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Mitsotakis handed over the ministerial council act proposing the dissolution of parliament and the proclamation of elections.

“The government has practically exhausted its term, and the continuity of the state requires this,” he said mentioning Article 41 of the Greek constitution.

Elections “are a great celebration of democracy,” said Mitsotakis, who added that his wish is for a “fruitful debate” by political parties, “so that citizens can soberly judge who should govern them for the next four years.”

The Greek prime minister also stressed that elections should be “a springboard for the maximum possible participation of citizens in this great democratic process,” and he stressed that first-time voters “should participate in the decisions that will be made for their own future rather than choosing to abstain.”

In a televised address shortly afterward, Mitsotakis emphasized the importance of political stability. “Greece needs a clear perspective and clear solutions,” he said.

Mitsotakis also mentioned the external crises that Greece had faced in recent years and overcame, highlighting the resilience of the economy and society.

He stressed that the country is close to regaining its investment grade rating, which would result in cheaper borrowing for the state, businesses, and households.

“This national goal, along with the need for strong international representation, requires political stability over a four-year horizon,” he said.

Election in Greece in the aftermath of the rail tragedy

The election will take place in the aftermath of a deadly train crash at Tempi which claimed the lives of 57 people and has shaken the country.

The popularity of Mitsotakis’s center-right New Democracy party has declined in polls after the deadliest train crash in Greece’s history late on Feb. 28, but the party is still leading over the leftist SYRIZA party of former premier Alexis Tsipras.

The parties who have governed Greece in the last decade and make up Greece’s political establishment are seen as responsible for the archaic railway system and their response to the tragedy.

Following a change to the electoral law introduced by Tsipras, the May general election will take place under a full proportional representation system that makes it almost impossible to have a one-party government, making a second round of voting likely in the event that political parties will not be able to form a coalition government.

In this case, Greeks will be called to vote again about a month after the first ballot and the second elections will be held using a semi-proportional system introduced by Mitsotakis that will make it easier to put together an administration.

“Citizens need to know who they’re voting for as prime minister,” Mitsotakis has said, warning that the simple proportional representation system has resulted in a “maelstrom of instability” in other European countries.