Kyriakos Mitsotakis placed New Democracy in full electoral readiness, while making clear at the same time that the elections will be held in spring 2027 and that the government will complete its constitutionally mandated term.

“I will not get tired of saying it: the elections will take place in spring 2027,” he stressed while addressing the ND Parliamentary Group. However, he sent a clear message to MPs and the party mechanism that there is no time for complacency: “The elections will take place in spring 2027, but we will run as if the elections are tomorrow.”

The Prime Minister described the next national election contest as the most critical battle the party has fought so far, strongly reviving the dilemma of political stability.

“The Sunday of the ballot box must be treated as the most critical one we have faced so far,” he said, as it will determine whether the country will continue to progress or lose what it has achieved in previous years.

“The Sunday is one and only. There are no trial protest Sundays, no dress rehearsals with supposed messages, and no room for catastrophic risks,” he stressed. He presented as the choice “a strong government of care, security and results,” warning that Greece “cannot afford either setbacks or becoming trapped in dead ends of instability or cross-party bargaining.”

“The homeland demands clear solutions, clear horizons and a steady and experienced hand at the helm,” he added.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis also invoked the example of world champions Spain to describe ND’s electoral strategy: possession of the ball, taking the initiative, endurance in the marathon and teamwork.

“Perhaps, in a way, we also resemble the World Cup-winning team of Spain. They wanted to have possession of the ball, and therefore control of the game. When you have the ball, you are the one who scores goals,” he said.

“We have the initiative. We are in good physical condition, so we can endure this marathon until the elections. We have resilience in tough play and composure in the face of attacks,” he continued, stressing that ND operates “first and foremost as a team.”

“Teams win, not supposed individual stars,” was his characteristic remark.

Watch Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ speech
Speech by Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the meeting of the New Democracy Parliamentary Group in Parliament

Within the same political framework, he also referred to this year’s Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), the last before the national elections, describing it as a credibility test for all political forces. He announced specific interventions to support the middle class, with particular emphasis on self-employed professionals, while ruling out a new round of handouts.

“We will not give in to the temptation of a surplus of giveaways,” he said, noting that in Thessaloniki the government will present its plan for Greece in 2030 and respond “with the truth of the numbers to the false promises being circulated.”

The Prime Minister targeted Alexis Tsipras over his proposal to tax the top 1% of wealth, saying that “they are the same people who taxed 99% of Greeks,” while also directing criticism at PASOK.

“The free benefits being promoted by the opposition will be tested, as will those who want to appear serious but refuse to cost their announcements,” he said, describing Thessaloniki as “a mirror of truth for everyone.”

He also spoke of an “explosive cocktail” in public life, composed of uncosted benefits, demagogic scandal-mongering and blind anti-government rhetoric which, he said, sometimes takes on personal characteristics.

He accused a “toxic centre” of attempting to unite a “heterogeneous Babel” with the sole aim of targeting the government and New Democracy, while describing PASOK as a “supposedly serious” party that “remembered to promise free tickets for young people.”

The Prime Minister’s attack on Harilaou Trikoupi (PASOK headquarters) was particularly strong regarding constitutional reform. Mr Mitsotakis described ND’s proposals as a “deep transformation for the Greece of 2030,” accusing PASOK that, despite agreeing with more than 15 changes, it hides behind a “timid ‘present’ vote.”

According to him, this stance makes PASOK “absent from the battle for modernisation and progress,” undermines the possibility of collective institutional renewal and places “party complexes above the national interest.”

The proposals include changing the process for investigating possible criminal responsibilities of ministers, so that Parliament does not become a court for political purposes; redefining public sector job permanence; constitutional safeguards against fiscal derailments and delayed taxes; establishing housing as an obligation of the state; strengthening the role of the judiciary in selecting its leadership; and constitutionally recognising non-state universities.

Regarding OPEKEPE, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that “a tower of mud collapsed” following the filing of cases against nine of the 13 ND MPs. He accused the opposition of “hanging an entire political faction on the clothesline of lies and defamation” and defended the decision to transfer payment responsibilities to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).

Finally, referring to the economy and inflation, he acknowledged that tensions in the Strait of Hormuz could cause new increases in oil and energy prices. However, he assured that the government would use every available means of intervention, both in the fuel market and in basic supermarket products.

Rule of Law: Greece records steady progress

Referring specifically to the Rule of Law, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said:

“Greece is recording steady progress in all areas of institutions. Regarding the opposition, the picture has been disappointing. Especially from PASOK, because I expected the blind denial from other opposition parties. However, it is unacceptable for a supposedly institutional party that agrees with more than 15 ND proposals to hide behind a timid ‘present’ vote. A vote that makes PASOK absent from the battle for the modernisation of the country and undermines the effort for collective renewal.

History will record this, showing which party wants and can confront the obstacles of yesterday, and which forces prefer to remain hesitant spectators. We focus on the real needs of society, on real problems.”

Our announcements will specifically concern the middle class, self-employed professionals and small and medium-sized businesses

Regarding the middle class, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said:

“We will be specific in our plan for Greece in 2030, with immediate measures but also long-term interventions. From tomorrow, the Deputy Prime Minister’s office will receive your proposals by area of government action. Our announcements will specifically concern the middle class, especially self-employed professionals and small and medium-sized businesses. Do not expect a list of annual promises, but a roadmap towards the better years ahead.

We will not give in to the temptation of excessive giveaways. I did not do so in 2018, nor in 2022. Above all, this year’s TIF, the last exhibition before the spring elections, will be a credibility test for all political forces. And there we will respond with the truth of the numbers to the false promises being circulated.”

The attack on Tsipras

Kyriakos Mitsotakis also attacked Alexis Tsipras, without naming him directly, saying:

“Those who claim they will tax the 1% of wealth, when they governed they taxed 99% of Greeks, reducing taxes only for casinos, and those who appear serious but refuse to cost their announcements, claiming that the General Accounting Office makes ‘grocery-store calculations’, will be judged.”

At TIF, PASOK’s “free benefits” will be tested

Kyriakos Mitsotakis also targeted PASOK, saying:

“At TIF, the free benefits promoted by the opposition will be tested, as will those who want to appear serious but strongly refuse the costing of their announcements.”

OPEKEPE – An entire political faction was hung out to dry by lies and defamation

“We took responsibility for the burden that belonged to us. However, we were the ones who exhausted all other means and decided to address the problem radically by abolishing OPEKEPE and transferring responsibility to AADE. Against this reform, which was so heavily challenged, all the parties that supposedly care about transparency stood against us. We alone voted for this important reform,” Mitsotakis said regarding the OPEKEPE case.

He added:

“An entire political faction was hung out to dry by lies and defamation. Long-standing dysfunctions were arbitrarily labelled scandals. Thirteen colleagues were unfairly accused and a government was described as being under investigation by parties whose MPs have faced multiple immunity waivers.”

“Their rhetoric provides ideological oxygen to the flames of violence”

“The presumption of innocence appears to apply only to far-left troublemakers. Nine out of 13 cases were archived. I was forced to accept three resignations of ministers from the cabinet due to political responsibility. As for the other four cases, they will reach their final judicial conclusion. And of course these were not the only things we heard. ‘Governments of suspects’ was the mildest of what we heard. Traitors, mafias, criminal organisations. All those who provide ideological oxygen to the flames of violence that lead to arson attacks, such as the one in Vagia Nestoras.”

“We do not know how long the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz will last – the crisis is imported”

Kyriakos Mitsotakis also referred to the new tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that “we do not know how long it will last, how it will develop, whether we will remain unaffected by international consequences and whether it will inevitably lead to increases in energy and oil prices.”

“We must try to manage it in the best possible way, to create barriers against imported inflation. Yes, inflation is imported. Inflation depends on fuel price increases. We have done this in cooperation with refineries; citizens may not see the reduction directly at the pump, but otherwise they would have seen an increase.

We have also made a major effort in supermarkets through an agreement for price reductions from September,” he stressed.

Referring to the stance of opposition parties, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke of a “toxic centre” spreading confusion as the final refuge of a heterogeneous Babel whose only mission is to attack the government and New Democracy.

“Look at the supposedly serious PASOK. It promised free transport for young people, when tickets are already free and when the government has legislated that those under 25 pay no tax.

We argue about the 13th pension, yet PASOK refuses to send its proposal to the Fiscal Council, the General Accounting Office and the Parliament’s financial services, so that it does not hear the obvious: that it costs €2.5 billion.”

The “unreformed Tsipras” and the “desperate” opposition

And alongside him, the unreformed Mr Tsipras continues to defend the destructive actions of his time in government, while at the same time refusing to know his former ministers. He promises money through “patriotic taxes”; for us, all taxes removed from citizens’ shoulders are patriotic taxes.

Mr Tsipras created a supposedly new party, in whose waiting room the desperate protagonists of the dark decade are gathering. We have reached an unprecedented situation with opposition parties collapsing and independents becoming the second party.

Everyone knows they will not govern. The only guarantor of stability in the country is our political faction.

The country must not become trapped in cross-party bargaining

“The Sunday of the ballot box must be treated as the most critical battle we have fought so far. It will determine whether our homeland will continue to progress or go backwards,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

Referring to the election dilemmas, he added:

“The Sunday is one and unique. There are no trial protest elections, no dress rehearsal with messages. One choice: a strong government of certainty and results.

We must not go three terms backwards. Much has been achieved and we can do more. In these critical geopolitical times, governing experience is a value.

Our country cannot afford setbacks or becoming trapped in cross-party negotiations. The homeland demands clear solutions, clear horizons, a stable and experienced hand at the helm.”

New Democracy is primarily a team, like Spain

Closing his speech, the Prime Minister sent a message of victory to his MPs ahead of the next elections, stressing that New Democracy shares many characteristics with Spain’s World Cup-winning team.

“Perhaps in a way we also resemble Spain, the winner of the World Cup. They wanted possession of the ball. When you have the ball, you score goals. If you are chasing the ball…

We have good physical condition and can endure the marathon until the 2027 elections. We have resilience in tough play and composure in the face of attacks. And above all, we are a TEAM,” he concluded.