At New Democracy conferences, one can already “smell” the political climate from the entrance hall. And at yesterday’s opening of the party conference at the Metropolitan Expo, what dominated before Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ speech was a mixture of anticipation — as party officials have practically entered campaign mode — and concern, since ND remains in first place but is still far from securing self-sufficiency, while the political landscape remains largely uncharted amid expectations surrounding new parties.

On the other hand, by opening ND’s 16th conference — and his seventh as party leader — Mr. Mitsotakis had three main goals: to place the party in a state of electoral readiness, to send a message of internal unity, and to reach out to officials or voters who may have distanced themselves, while also presenting the prospect of a third four-year term, with a vision for Greece in 2030.

One could say the first goal is the easiest to achieve. ND is a party of power, its officials are experienced, and the prospect of governing acts as a binding force despite individual differences. Simply put, ND knows how to fight elections, perhaps better than any other party.

The second goal — unity — is not simple. After the expulsion of a former prime minister and the distancing of another, following intense discussions about the role of the centralized state apparatus and the balance between technocrats and politicians within the government, divisions inside ND clearly exist. Seven years in government inevitably create wear, and crises leave scars on the body of the ruling party. One could sense the concern even in brief conversations with ND officials, while the conference atmosphere itself felt different compared to similar conferences in the recent past. And it was not because of the powerful air conditioning that had been running since early on.

Messages and dilemmas

The prospect of a third term, however, may be Mr. Mitsotakis’ key comparative advantage. Not because people are automatically attracted by the idea of extending ND’s rule, but because in a turbulent period of intense geopolitical instability, the ruling party presents itself as the steady hand on the wheel, with a coherent program. Mr. Mitsotakis already outlined areas for future initiatives, from national defense and the economy to reforms and constitutional revision.

And he has one fundamental argument, regularly holding up ND’s 2023 election program during his speech: ND fulfilled its promises, therefore it can also fulfill whatever it promises in the upcoming elections.

However, Mr. Mitsotakis’ strongest message is tied to his own persona. Yesterday, he made clear that the dilemma is not “Mitsotakis or chaos,” as many may think. On the contrary, the dilemmas are personal as well.

“That is why I say the dilemma of the next election is specific. It is ‘Mitsotakis or Androulakis.’ It is ‘Mitsotakis or Tsipras.’ It is ‘Mitsotakis or Konstantopoulou,’ ‘Mitsotakis or anyone else,’” Mr. Mitsotakis said pointedly.

Or, as he put it differently: “If I had to express it with one image — why should someone vote for us again — let them think only this: if the three-digit phone number rings at 3:00 in the morning, who will answer it, and what will they say in a world of instability and uncertainty?”

The side conversations and the “vouchers”

In any case, today’s second day of the conference includes speeches from top ND officials, as well as thematic panels, including one featuring the Prime Minister speaking on artificial intelligence. Speeches by Kostis Hatzidakis, Nikos Dendias, Adonis Georgiadis, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Takis Theodorikakos and Vasilis Kikilias are highly anticipated, while pointed remarks are also expected from several MPs.

Since yesterday, numerous interesting side discussions had already formed, with attention also focused on ND’s Political Committee elections, whose voting will take place on Sunday. The new party secretary will emerge from that process, with the names of Giorgos Stylios, Vasilis Spanakis and Giannis Pappas being discussed.

One figure who appeared particularly comfortable within the party environment was former Secretary General to the Prime Minister Grigoris Dimitriadis, who still maintains influence within the party mechanism. Officials involved in the OPEKEPE 2 case also reportedly received a warm reception.

Today, many discussions are expected regarding the famous “vouchers” distributed by candidates for the Political Committee, although the process is considered relatively low-key and free of top-level clashes. Among the names being mentioned as candidates are experienced ND officials such as Diomedes Daoulas, Babis Siatras, Vicky Nakou, Olga Maggana — who topped the preference vote in 2022 — as well as the two figures behind the “Truth Team,” Kostas Doganis and Kimon Benos. Also expected to run are Martha Samara, Apostolis Bakolas from ONNED, Vasilis Gakopoulos, Konstantina Kollia — considered close to Pavlos Marinakis — and veteran official Antonis Panagopoulos, among others.

The dinners and political networking

No conference is complete without dinners and political networking, and yesterday the behind-the-scenes activity was rich, with more expected today.

After the conference proceedings ended, Kyriakos Pierrakakis invited many friends for drinks at Abi Rouge, near the beginning of Syngrou Avenue. Further south, the South Sector prefectural organization together with ONNED organized a gathering at the Glyfada Golf Club, attracting MPs and officials from the wider area.

In a more relaxed setting, former ND secretary Kostas Skrekas met with friends at the store owned by ND Dodecanese MP Giannis Pappas in the outlet village at Spata.

Today, the central gathering point is expected to be Il Giardino, where the traditional ONNED drinks event will take place, while reports suggest that Grigoris Dimitriadis is also quietly involved in organizing the event.