The four leadership candidates have reached a tentative truce following turmoil in the main opposition conservative New Democracy (ND) party ahead of the November 22 party elections. After an outburst by interim ND leader Evangelos Meimarakis on Wednesday, the four candidates, including Meimarakis joined together in a bid to defuse tensions.

Meimarakis, ex-minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Central Macedonia Governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas and former minister Adonis Georgiadis met in a cordial climate. They released a unified message: “Ahead of the vote on November 22, the four candidates for the leadership of New Democracy send a clear message of party unity, transparency as far as the process is concerned and a pledge to follow the party’s charter faithfully.”

The brief statement adds that the candidates’ only opposition is Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, his government and the country’s problems.

The show of unity was deemed necessary after a civil war was brewing within the party following a conflict between Meimarakis and the party’s secretary Andreas Papamimikos on the election process that would be followed.

Two incidents during the meeting however, shows that there is still suspicion among the four despite their statements. Firstly, Mitsotakis arrived late to the meeting and attended for just 10 minutes to meet with the other candidates who were there 45 minutes earlier. He excused himself, stating that h had appeared on the gossip talk show “E” to talk about his marriage problems.

At the end of the meeting, Meimarakis left swiftly, avoiding to take a photograph with the other three candidates.