Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday that Greece’s next general election will take place in the spring of 2027, ruling out an early vote and declaring that his center-right New Democracy party will seek an outright parliamentary majority and a third consecutive term in government.
Speaking at his annual press conference at the Thessaloniki International Fair, Mitsotakis presented political stability as the central issue in the approaching election campaign. He argued that a single-party government would be best placed to confront an uncertain international environment and warned of the risks of failing to produce a government after the vote.
“The elections will take place in the spring of 2027,” Mitsotakis said. “I believe in institutional consistency. Electoral cycles must be completed.”
The prime minister said the only reason to call an early election would be to exploit a politically favorable moment, adding that he had rejected such thinking before the 2023 election and would do so again.
“I did not do it then, and I will not do it now,” he said. “The elections will take place at the end of the four-year term.”
Mitsotakis sets outright majority as election target
Mitsotakis described an outright New Democracy majority as both achievable and the only political solution currently capable of guaranteeing stable government.
He recalled that opinion polls before the 2023 election generally placed New Democracy at between 35 and 36 percent, while the party ultimately secured approximately 41 percent of the vote.
“I consider the goal of an outright majority achievable, and we will fight for that goal,” he said.
The prime minister rejected the suggestion that pursuing another single-party government demonstrated political arrogance. Instead, he argued that majority governments can make decisions more quickly and avoid becoming trapped in negotiations between parties “behind closed doors.”
He stressed, however, that the result would be determined by voters and that their verdict would be respected.
“Ultimately, the Greek people are sovereign. They will decide,” Mitsotakis said.
The prime minister linked the election timetable to Greece’s assumption of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, 2027.
He said the country would need a stable government by that date to undertake what he described as a significant European responsibility. If the election did not produce a viable government, he warned, Greece could be led into a period under a caretaker administration during a difficult international moment.
Mitsotakis argued that the absence of an obvious coalition alternative was not New Democracy’s responsibility, pointing to opposition parties that have formally ruled out cooperation with the governing conservatives.
Warning to voters considering a protest vote
The comments reinforced the electoral message Mitsotakis delivered during his keynote speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair on Saturday.
Addressing voters who may be disappointed with the government, the prime minister called for a “new national unity” and a “broad social alliance” based on what he described as responsibility, modernization and social care.
At the same time, he warned against using the general election simply to register dissatisfaction with the government.
Voters considering sending a “message of protest,” Mitsotakis said, should be aware that “on Monday, there may be nobody there to receive it.”
He portrayed the next election as a decisive choice with consequences for political stability, arguing that fragmentation of the vote could prevent the formation of a government. “The battle is one, with no room for error,” he said.
Bid for a third consecutive term
Mitsotakis, who first became prime minister in 2019 and returned to office following the 2023 elections, confirmed that he will campaign for a third consecutive term.
He rejected the idea that another four years under New Democracy would represent “more of the same,” promising faster and more ambitious reforms. He also said he had learned from the government’s mistakes and was prepared to confront entrenched interests when necessary.
According to Mitsotakis, the next four years will be shaped by geopolitical upheaval, artificial intelligence, migration pressures and the climate crisis. He framed the electoral question around which government has the experience and ability to manage that increasingly complex environment.
The prime minister also acknowledged the danger of arrogance after an extended period in power. A leader seeking reelection after several years in office, he said, must approach voters with “even greater modesty and humility.”
“People do not vote for you because of what you have done,” Mitsotakis said. “They vote for you because of what they believe you can do to improve their lives.”
Mitsotakis said the government would continue its legislative work until the end of its term and would not allow the months preceding the election to become a period of political paralysis.
He also rejected the possibility of a post-election agreement with former prime minister Antonis Samaras under current conditions. Mitsotakis said Samaras’ public positions directly challenged the core of the government’s foreign and defense policy and left no apparent room for political cooperation.
With the election now firmly placed in the spring of 2027, Mitsotakis used his Thessaloniki appearance to begin defining the central argument of his campaign: that New Democracy should receive another outright majority to avoid political uncertainty and maintain continuity in government.
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