Only a few minutes had passed after the door of the Prime Minister’s office closed last Wednesday when a sense began to emerge within the Prime Minister’s headquarters that a decision had been made whose implications extended far beyond the confines of New Democracy’s party headquarters on Piraeus Street.

That perception may be confirmed when the cabinet reshuffle is unveiled on Thursday, as government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said on Saturday morning during an interview with SKAI.

“On Thursday, after the election of the new party secretary, the Prime Minister will announce the names of those who will replace both the new secretary and Nikos Tagaras in the position of Deputy Minister for the Environment,” Marinakis said, adding that “my assessment is that we will not see broader changes.”

Behind the Scenes

According to information obtained by Protothema.gr, the meeting was far from a routine discussion.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reportedly already had a clear roadmap prepared for Konstantinos Kyranakis, outlining his next role: strengthening the party and accelerating its pre-election operations during a period when political activity is expected to intensify significantly.

Kyranakis immediately accepted the proposal to become the new Secretary of New Democracy’s Political Committee. From that point on, according to the same sources, a low-profile strategy was put into motion to keep the decision under wraps until its official announcement and avoid premature political reactions.

Close associates of Mitsotakis had consistently insisted, both during and after the party’s 16th Congress, that the ongoing speculation about possible candidates did not reflect the Prime Minister’s actual thinking.

Within the Prime Minister’s office, the move is not viewed as a simple internal party reshuffle. Instead, it is seen as a decision with a clear strategic purpose.

On one hand, it strengthens New Democracy’s electoral machinery with a figure who possesses deep knowledge of the party’s internal structures and a long-standing presence within the organization.

Kyranakis’ selection is viewed as anything but accidental. He rose through the ranks of the party, from DAP and ONNED to the Youth of the European People’s Party, where he previously served as president.

He also belongs to a generation of party officials who have accumulated not only internal political experience but also a record of implementing important reforms and handling difficult assignments.

At the Ministry of Digital Governance, he contributed to initiatives that accelerated procedures and reduced bureaucracy. Later, at the Ministry of Transport, he was tasked with one of the government’s most politically sensitive portfolios: Greece’s railway system.

Officials at the Prime Minister’s office believe that his appointment as New Democracy’s Secretary serves a broader strategy of renewal and mobilization of the party base, aimed not only at organizational readiness but also at reconnecting with voters who have become disengaged from active political participation.

The Time for a Reshuffle

Kyranakis’ move to the party apparatus also creates the conditions for a chain reaction within the government, as his departure from the Ministry of Transport opens the door to further appointments.

Following the change in party leadership, preparations for a mini cabinet reshuffle are now moving into full swing.

After the announcement that the 39-year-old politician would receive the party post, the government entered “change mode,” with figures close to Mitsotakis indicating that key decisions would likely be made toward the end of next week.

According to Protothema.gr, at the end of this sequence of moves lies a choice that is currently not at the center of speculation but has a strong chance of becoming the reshuffle’s biggest surprise.

At the same time, for the vacancy at the Ministry of Environment created by the departure of Nikos Tagaras, possible replacements are being considered from New Democracy’s parliamentary group.

Names reportedly under serious consideration include Giorgos Vrettakos, Dionysis Stamenitis, and Marilena Soukouli-Viliali.

Also part of the reshuffle puzzle is Tasos Chatzivasileiou, who, according to reports, is being considered for a role at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with responsibilities related to preparations for Greece’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.