Central Macedonian Region Chief Apostolos Tzitzikostas, aged 37, announced his candidacy for the leadership of the New Democracy (ND) Party on Sunday night. The young man’s bid for the leadership, following that of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, aged 47, lowers the age bar for the party’s control from current leader Evangelos Meimarakis, aged 62.

The announcement for the bid was made via his personal Facebook account where he stated that he plans to transform the conservative ND, allowing for a break from the past and a clash with populism. He invited “all those who believe, as I do, that we will give major battles in order to form a really strong society with justice and solidarity”.

Noteworthy is the fact that Tzitzikostas managed to gather 71% of the vote in May 2014 in regional elections. Though he has yet to officially submit an application for the leadership, his participation would open the gates for younger generations as well as candidates who aren’t ND deputies. Furthermore, it would break the current chain in the party with clans such as Karamanlis and Mitsotakis families standing as controlling factions within the party.

Tzitzikostas supporters describe him as the Greek “Renzi”. Like Italian PM Matteo Renzi, he comes from the regional government sector.

Meanwhile, current leader Meimarakis has yet to show his cards regarding a leadership bid. Telephone contact with former prime minister Kostas Karamanlis is rumored to have gone well, however didn’t give impetus to a final decision regarding a bid for the leadership.