Yesterday’s pre-congress conference of New Democracy in Nafplio focused on the digital state and broader reforms in public administration. For this reason, both Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Akis Skertsos responded to criticism of the so-called “executive state,” but avoided escalating tensions with ND MPs, who themselves have been raising the volume of internal criticism—recognizing that intra-party interventions now attract more attention than in the recent past.

The strategy of Maximos Mansion following the open letter published yesterday by five ND MPs in the newspaper Ta Nea is twofold: on the one hand, it defends the executive state as a governance tool that has proven useful so far; on the other, it seeks to avoid confrontation with ND MPs and an unnecessary tug-of-war, especially when the main objective is party unity on the road to elections. Even Akis Skertsos—who is not a party official and is viewed negatively by some MPs—struck a conciliatory tone, saying “the enemy is not inside, it is outside,” referring to everyday challenges.

Mitsotakis’ message

Under different circumstances, Kyriakos Mitsotakis might have responded more sharply to the letter of the “five.” It is said that the original draft was harsher and included criticism about a lack of internal consultation within the party. Still, the intervention came as a public letter rather than being addressed directly to him, and just days before the parliamentary group meeting, where such issues could have been discussed more comfortably.

Nevertheless, Mitsotakis chose a moderate tone without undermining core government policies. He clarified that the executive state is not something to be idolized, while emphasizing respect for ND MPs.
“It is a way of governance that ultimately brings together technocratic and political approaches,” he said, adding that “those who insist on drawing dividing lines between supposedly appointed technocrats and elected politicians fail to understand that we, as ND, are one team.”
“We honor our parliamentary group, we honor our MPs, and we ask them to help us become better. We hold parliamentary group meetings—again next week—once every two months. We discuss everything openly. We are a family. Our disagreements are resolved internally,” he added.

Warning shots

The letter from the “five” can be interpreted as a warning to Maximos Mansion ahead of the parliamentary group meeting next Thursday, May 7. However, one of the MPs told protothema.gr that their goal is not to stage a rebellion, but to highlight missteps and problems, aiming for ND to secure a third term and overcome internal weaknesses. He also clarified that they will not act as a unified bloc.

Still, the concerns raised in the letter are shared, to some extent, by other ND MPs. It remains to be seen how many will speak up in the discussion and how strongly. Notably, many MPs stepped back in media appearances after the letter’s publication, with most declining invitations to comment publicly.

The cabinet meeting

It remains to be seen whether Kyriakos Mitsotakis will offer another “elegant” response during his opening remarks at today’s cabinet meeting. His aim is to demonstrate that the government is producing tangible results, and the agenda is quite extensive.

One of the key topics is an update on the implementation of milestones tied to the Recovery Fund, as well as the presentation of a national strategy for regional and local planning.

The agenda also includes legislative initiatives from the Ministries of Justice and Culture, as well as a Cabinet Act designating the Tempi railway accident of February 28, 2023, as a case of major social importance, allowing the state to withdraw legal actions it has pursued. The initiative is jointly introduced by Finance Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis.