New Democracy (ND) interim leader Yiannis Plakiotakis said that elections for the new party leader on Sunday, December 20, would roll smoothly. He urged members and friends of the party to vote.

On November 22, the election of a party leader turned into a fiasco when the party was forced to cancel its elections due to major technical problems. There was fierce criticism and Vangelis Meimarakis, caretaker leader and leadership candidate, resigned from the top post.

Last weekend, the conservative main opposition party’s electoral committee performed a mock vote in real conditions to test the system on which the elections will be conducted.

“With full awareness of my responsibilities, I assumed leadership to ensure the smooth running of the party election,” said Plakiotakis on Friday, pledging that all will go according to plan. “My main concern was it to work to create consensus and unity.”

The four candidates for ND’s leadership are Vangelis Meimarakis, Adonis Georgiadis, Kyriakos Mitstotakis and Apostolos Tzitzikostas.