“If you compare the appearances at Stylianidis’ and Patelis’ book launches, you see the two faces of New Democracy. And Mitsotakis is walking both paths.” With this phrase, a senior government minister neatly summed up the reading weekend of the ruling party, on the sidelines of the launch of the new book by Alexis Patelis — former head of the Prime Minister’s Economic Office — held yesterday afternoon at the National Gallery.

Patelis’ book presentation drew a noticeably more centrist and technocratic crowd, with many senior government officials and only a handful of “blue” MPs. This stood in contrast to Euripides Stylianidis’ book event on artificial intelligence, which had brought together virtually the entire party, minus Antonis Samaras.

Patelis, however, has never claimed to be part of the party’s traditional blue core, nor has he developed particularly close ties with the parliamentary group. To many MPs, he embodies the intense period before the same-sex marriage vote — a divisive moment that left visible marks on New Democracy. Yet he remains one of the key architects of the government’s economic policy, a fact Kyriakos Mitsotakis was quick to underline as he left the event.

“Alexis was one of the silent protagonists behind our economic success and the restoration of Greece’s credibility,” the Prime Minister remarked.

The Centre and the Popular Right

A glance at the front rows of the National Gallery made the political message clear: many faces absent from Stylianidis’ presentation were here. Among them were ministers and deputy ministers such as Akis Skertsos, Domna Michailidou, Lina Mendoni, Irini Agapidaki, Nikos Tsafos, and Vivi Charalabogianni.

Among the MPs attending were Kostas Skrekas — the party’s secretary — his predecessor Maria Syrengella, former finance minister Christos Staikouras (a longtime collaborator of Patelis), as well as Tassos Hatzivasiliou, Maria Antoniou, Nefeli Hatziioannidou, and Spyros Kyriakis.
Several senior figures, including Kostis Hatzidakis, Adonis Georgiadis, Sofia Zacharaki, Dora Bakoyannis, and Christos Dimas, attended both events.

The lineup at the Gallery largely reflected the centrist “opening” initiated under Kyriakos Mitsotakis — an outreach that broadened New Democracy’s base and delivered strong, self-reliant electoral results. A notable presence was former President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, herself a symbol of that centrist shift.

Still, since the European elections, that outreach has been repeatedly questioned, even if Mitsotakis continues to insist on “bilateral expansion.” His recent recruitment of Andreas Loverdos — who will run in the southern Athens district — is a case in point. As observers noted, Mitsotakis appeared distinctly more at ease amid the crowd and setting of the Gallery.

By contrast, the audience at Stylianidis’ Conservatory event represented the party’s grassroots — the “whole” of New Democracy’s base — which remains essential for electoral dominance. Balancing the two worlds, analysts agree, is both difficult and vital for Mitsotakis.

“Citizens Judge, Compare and Remember”

At the same time, the Prime Minister has started to send subtle jabs toward Alexis Tsipras — even without naming him directly.
Given that Patelis’ book focuses on how Greece rebuilt its international image after the Tsipras years, Mitsotakis couldn’t resist a pointed remark when questioned by reporters as he left the venue.

“That is not for us to decide — it’s up to the Greek people,” Mitsotakis said when asked whether there was any risk of a political return to the Tsipras era.
“Just as I trusted their judgment in 2023, when our victory reaffirmed the achievements of our first term, I continue to have confidence in citizens who see, judge, compare and remember.”

Meanwhile, as Tsipras prepares to present his own book in the coming weeks, sharp commentary could already be heard in political circles.

“Patelis took six months to write a book. Tsipras took six years to build a narrative,” one attendee quipped — though insiders note that the Maximos Mansion has yet to decide how it will respond to Tsipras’ “literary rebranding.”

“The Great Return”

In his book The Great Return: The Road to Greece’s Credibility (Papadopoulos Publications), Alexis Patelis takes readers inside the decision-making core of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government. The former head of the Prime Minister’s Economic Office from 2019 until his resignation in 2024 offers an insider’s chronicle of Greece’s path to regaining investment-grade status amid multiple crises.

“The book places the reader at the heart of decision-making,” said Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras, who described it as “a strategic account of how, after a decade of crisis and doubt, Greece regained its credibility, its voice, and its place in Europe.” He also praised Patelis as “a man with strong opinions — even when one disagrees.”

Mariolena Athanasopoulou, Deputy Head of the ESM’s Economic Risk Analysis Department, speaking “from the other side of the table,” emphasized that Greece’s recovery “was neither easy nor inevitable, but the result of consistent work and dedication to restoring the country’s reputation.”

“Patriotism Is Not Big Words and Crowns”

In his own remarks, Patelis focused on redefining patriotism:

“Patriotism isn’t crowns and big words,” he said. “It’s not shouting ‘Go back, Mr. Merkel! Go back, Mr. Schäuble!’ as Mr. Tsipras once did, nor abusing national symbols as the far right does. Real patriotism means helping your country become stronger — contributing through action to a prouder, more resilient Greece.”