Yesterday’s meeting of Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the Members of Parliament of the New Democracy at the Maximos Mansion ahead of Christmas was perhaps the best demonstration of intra-party unity in the ranks of the ruling party since the autumn period of turmoil. It is obvious that Mitsotakis’ budget announcements played a crucial role in “deflating” the climate, with government deputies telling protothema.grthat they have enough in their hands to return to their constituencies.

The improvement in communication between Grand Maximus and the parliamentary group has been visible to the naked eye in recent weeks, and it is clear that there have been firefighting moves and as many contacts with the prime minister himself. For many MPs, especially those from the periphery, moreover, the first invitation to the Maximos Mansion on such days since the government has held the reins of the country in 2019 was an important opportunity. The condition that is being formed, however, is not just a momentary situation, but also removes the political pressure that existed in the Maximou Mansion given the presidential election. Also playing a role has been Mitsotakis’ choice to show his tolerance limit by signing Antonis Samaras, as well as Kosta Karamanlis’ public refusal to enter the presidential debate.

Thoughts in the White Mountains

In his interview with ERT yesterday, Kyriakos Mitsotakis remained “sphinx” as to his intentions, saying simply that he would announce his decisions in the second half of January. As for whether he will think in the mountains, in keeping with the political tradition that he has shaped, Mitsotakis said he will go to Chania for a few days between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Chania combines, after all, both the sea at Akrotiri, where the prime minister’s childhood home is, and the White Mountains, which Mr Mitsotakis particularly loves. Maybe in this case the…beneficial wind for the choice of the Presidential Palace will blow from there and not from the mountains of Epirus, as in 2020.

According to reports, yesterday there was no relevant discussion in the wells of Megaro Maximou yesterday. “Nobody wanted to open this conversation and Mitsotakis would not say anything in front of 100 people,” an experienced MP told protothema.gr.

The clear improvement in the climate within the New Democracy party “liberates” Mitsotakis in terms of his thoughts on the presidency, as there is not the same intensity in the demand for a person from the center-right. Ministers and MPs have this view, but it is estimated that there will be no resistance if Mitsotakis proposes a person who serves the “line” and the consensus tradition, even if he does not come from the ranks of the New Democracy

“This is an area where consensus has worked most of the time and one must first look in that direction,” MP and former ND minister Giannis Economou, who has several times expressed concerns about ND’s “identity”, said meaningfully yesterday (Talk Radio 98.9).

It is obvious that the choice of person is the prerogative of the prime minister, but it is now also obvious that Mitsotakis is not under the same pressure from circumstances to proceed “single-mindedly”. After all, the Parliament may no longer be dissolved because of the presidential election, but a broader consensus around the person of the supreme state actor is always politically desirable.