Maria Karystianou, the prominent President of the Tempi Victims’ Families Association, revealed on Monday that she and her associates are in the final stages of forming a new political party—one she claims will be built by citizens, for citizens, completely untainted by the existing political establishment.
Maria Karystianou party beyond ideology
Karystianou emphasized that the movement will not align with traditional labels like Left, Right, or Center. Instead, its “ideological compass” will be centered on accountability, meritocracy, and the rule of law.
“2025 was a year of revelations,” Karystianou stated. “The most vital thing for me was ending the discord that divided us for years. This great social awakening has mobilized Greeks at home and abroad,” she told Kontra News.
Key takeaways from the interview
Karystianou reiterated her refusal to collaborate with anyone from the current political system. “Politicians today come out of a party pipeline; they don’t know society,” she remarked, emphasizing that her movement aims to break free from the entrenched political class.
When asked about the leadership of the new party, she did not confirm whether she would take the helm herself. Instead, she said the movement’s members would “highlight their leader” based on qualities such as courage, selflessness, and the absence of political “baggage.”
While Karystianou is neither an economist nor an educator, she emphasized that “committees of experts,” known as the “Wise Council,” are voluntarily drafting a comprehensive national program. This, she said, will form the foundation of the party’s solution-based approach to governance.
She also vowed that the party would remain financially independent, with no corporate sponsors. “Our party will have no ‘donors,’” she asserted, promising to publish the balance sheets of the Victims’ Association to ensure full transparency and public trust.
Karystianou blasts Tsipras
Karystianou was particularly sharp regarding former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, accusing him of “betraying” the Greek people’s hope.
“He mortgaged the state for 100 years as if it were his own property…he raised us high only to drop us. That deception is the worst part for me,” she said. Regarding former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, she stated she has no desire to meet him, describing his attitude toward the victims as “insolent.”
As her term as President of the Tempi Victims’ Association ends in March, Karystianou hinted at a major return to the streets. With the three-year anniversary of the Tempi tragedy approaching on February 28, she suggested a mass mobilization involving farmers, military personnel, and healthcare workers.
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