The elections are scheduled for spring 2027. On New Democracy’s political clock, however, the countdown has already begun. The first major test will come in the preparations for the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), with the focus not only on what will be announced in Thessaloniki, but also on the groundwork that must be laid for the day after.

Within just five days, mixed teams of party officials, ministers, and MPs will attempt to cover all the prefectures of Western and Central Macedonia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. A major geographical operation under an extremely tight timetable, from the western borders to Evros.

The tours will serve the preparations for TIF and the presentation of the government’s work, but they will also constitute a first crash test of the party mechanism in the North. The mood, party organizations, local balances and, inevitably, individuals will be assessed: who has a foothold, who has a network, and which of those currently being mentioned can actually withstand a preference-vote battle.

The timing is not accidental. After TIF, the next phase is expected to open, with at least 100 candidacies to be announced and a large part of the ballots moving into a clearly pre-election configuration.

The number of interested candidates is many times greater. More than 250 people are already on the selection lists for a place on the “blue” ballots: local government figures, people from the business world, academics and scientists, former general secretaries, party officials, veteran candidates, and new “suitors.”

The “captains”

Around Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the team that will carry the weight of the campaign is already taking shape. On the government and policy side are Kostis Hatzidakis, Akis Skertsos, Thanasis Kontogeorgis and Thanos Petralias. Mr. Hatzidakis is at the heart of preparing the plan for the next period, Mr. Skertsos and Mr. Kontogeorgis are working on connecting the government’s record with the commitments for the new four-year term, while Mr. Petralias is keeping an eye on fiscal discipline.

After two terms in government, the difficult question is not simply what the next measure will be. It is: why another four years? Pavlos Marinakis will have a role that goes beyond day-to-day government spokesperson duties. He has passed through ONNED and the Secretariat of New Democracy, knows the party machinery, and will simultaneously fight his first personal preference-vote battle in the Northern Athens constituency.

In the communications machine are Giorgos Efthymiou, director of the prime minister’s Press Office, and Kyra Kapi, while Nikos Romanos handles the digital field and, alongside that, his own electoral battle in the Southern Athens constituency. Michalis Bekiris, one of the prime minister’s longest-serving associates and head of his office in Thessaloniki, carries particular weight in the North. The coordinator of the Prime Minister’s Office is Giannis Papageorgiou, who is now also entering the electoral arena in Thessaloniki A.

At Piraeus, most of the papers bearing names end up with a quartet: Konstantinos Kyranakis, Giannis Smyrlis, Stelios Kontadakis and Thanasis Nezis.

Mr. Kyranakis has taken on the task of raising the party’s tempo, general director Mr. Smyrlis knows the party network throughout the country, Mr. Kontadakis knows the organizations and local balances, while Mr. Nezis has an almost prefecture-by-prefecture knowledge of New Democracy’s political personnel. Around them are Nikos Papoutsis, Charis Chatzicharalambous, ONNED president Orfeas Georgiou and Elena Sokou, with party and communications experience and a personal electoral interest in Evros.

The 12 who have already taken their positions

For twelve people there are no longer any question marks. Mr. Marinakis will run in the Northern Athens constituency, Eirini Agapidaki in the Western Athens constituency, and Mr. Romanos in the Southern Athens constituency. In Eastern Attica, Marios Themistokleous has been announced, while in the South Tasos Gaitanis has been announced.

In Thessaloniki A, Thanasis Tsiouras, Giannis Papageorgiou and Nikos Papaioannou have already taken their positions. Manos Logothetis is running in Samos, Dimitris Glymis in Phocis, Dimitris Papastergiou in Trikala, and Alexandra Sdoukou in Athens A. These are the twelve certainties. Behind them, however, a pool of more than 250 names is already waiting.

Athens, Piraeus and Thessaloniki

In Athens A, alongside Ms. Sdoukou, the lawyer Pola Damianou and actor and local-government official Thanasis Viskadourakis are being discussed. In Piraeus B, Argyro Tragaki, daughter of Giannis Tragakis, photographer Dimitris Skoulos, and former president of POASY Grigoris Gerakarakos are being mentioned. In Corinthia, State MP Giorgos Stamatis is being discussed as a possible contender in the preference-vote battle, while Omiros Tsapalos is also being mentioned.

In Thessaloniki A, beyond the three candidacies already announced, the transfer of Nefeli Chatziioannidou is being discussed, while Nikos Tachiaos, Afroditi Nestora and journalist Dimitris Venieris are being mentioned. Two more heavyweight cases have also been on the table: Giorgos Floridis and Margaritis Schinas. In Thessaloniki B, Katerina Ziouta, who was first runner-up in the previous elections, is expected to try again, while Voula Patoulidou and deputy regional governor Kostas Gioutikas are being discussed.

From Macedonia to Evros

In Pieria, regional councilor Anna Tzika, deputy regional governor Sofia Mavridou and Chrysvgi Drista are being discussed. In Halkidiki, hotelier Grigoris Tasios and lawyer Nikos Bloskas are being mentioned, while in Kilkis, journalist Christos Tsalikidis is being discussed. In Imathia, Syrmoula Tzima, Sotiris Skourtopoulos from the chamber-of-commerce sector, and lawyer Maria-Ouriazili Koutsoupia are being discussed.

In Serres, those being mentioned include ELGO-DIMITRA president Spyros Mamalis, former president of the DEEP Theodoros Kampouris, deputy regional governor Panagiotis Spyropoulos, former MP Theofilos Leontaridis and former mayor Alexandros Chrysafis.

In Kastoria, deputy regional governor Dimitris Savvopoulos is being mentioned. In Kozani, Evlampia Proiou, Thomaï Zarkodimou and former regional governor Giorgos Dakis; in Florina, former MP Giannis Antoniadis; and in Evros, Elena Sokou.

Thessaly and Epirus

In Trikala, where the entry of Dimitris Papastergiou changes the balance, those being mentioned include Dimitra Natsina, Christos Michalakis, Giorgos Vlachogiannis, Nikoleta Tziortzioti and Dimitris Fotis. In Larissa, Rena Karalariotou, mayor Thanasis Mamakos, physician and regional councilor Vasilis Pinakas, and businessman Dimitris Efthymiou are being discussed.

In Magnesia, those being mentioned include Spyros Karanikolas, Nancy Kapoula, deputy regional governor Dorothea Kolyndrini, Apostolos Koutarelos, and former MPs Konstantinos Maravegias and Thanasis Lioupis. In Ioannina, Gerasimos Zagoritis, son of former New Democracy secretary Lefteris Zagoritis, and Lena Stamati are being discussed. In Arta, former mayor Christos Tsirogiannis, deputy regional governor Vasilis Psathas and president of the local Bar Association Michalis Nikolaou.

In Thesprotia, physician Christos Rizos and journalist Anna Stergiou are being mentioned, while in Preveza, mayor Nikos Georgakos is being discussed.

The battle in the “core” and the West

In Phthiotis, Deputy Minister of the Interior Vivi Charalambogianni is being mentioned; in Boeotia, Fani Papathoma; in Evrytania, physician Konstantinos Tsigaridas; and in Euboea, Apostolos Spanos, Dimitris Diamantopoulos and Giorgos Kelaïditis.

In Corfu, former mayor Meropi Ydraiou remains a strong possibility. In Chios, the return of former minister Kostis Mousouroulis is being discussed; in Lesvos, journalist and adviser to the prime minister Iason Pipinis; and in the Dodecanese, Niovi Christopoulou.

In Messenia, those being mentioned include lawyer Porfylenia Kanellopoulou, former mayor of Pylos Dimitris Kafantaris and deputy mayor of Kalamata Anastasios Skoteas. In Argolis, lawyer Zois Stavropoulos, deputy regional governor Vasilis Sideris and professor Anastasios Georgas. In Arcadia, State MP Ioanna Lytvri could move into the preference-vote battle, while in Laconia, deputy regional governor Theodoros Veroutis is being discussed.

In Achaia, those being mentioned include deputy regional governor and physician Anna Mastorakou, Fokion Zaïmis, Charalambos Bonanos and Andreas Tsokos, as well as Foivos Bekiris, brother of Michalis Bekiris and son of former MP Vasilis Bekiris, a case with strong political roots in the region. In Elis, deputy regional governor Nikos Korovesis and former minister Theodoros Skylakakis are being discussed.

In Aetolia-Acarnania, those being mentioned include Agrinio mayor Giorgos Papanastasiou, deputy regional governor Thanasis Mavrommatis, Nikos Katsakioris, Christina Fountzoula and Anna Rokofyllou. The strong presence of local-government figures is not accidental. Mayors, deputy regional governors and regional councilors have ready-made networks and have already been tested at the ballot box. For Piraeus, they constitute a pool of people who can quickly enter the battle.

Crete and the final cards

In Crete, scouting has intensified, although the new names have not yet acquired the clarity seen in other regions. The search is turning toward younger people, professionals with a social profile, and candidates outside the traditional party hierarchy. The final additions in Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno and Lasithi will therefore be of particular interest when the mass announcements begin.

Finally, there are the names that have not yet been linked to a specific electoral district. One of them is former Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Konstantinos Floros. No one rules out his appearing at some point in the discussion about the “blue” ballots, although so far there has been no confirmed approach or specific electoral district.

There is also the State constituency, which will take longer to assume its final form. Mr. Schinas’s name has been heard prominently, without any decision having been made, while Nikitas Kaklamanis has also entered the relevant discussion, again with nothing considered settled. Twelve candidates have already been announced, at least 100 are expected after TIF, and more than 250 have passed or are passing through the evaluation lists.

The search is not simply about filling the ballots.

The goal is a combination of government experience, party renewal, strong local roots, and figures from outside the narrow party pool. The announcements after TIF will show where the emphasis falls on renewal, where strong local candidacies are being sought, and where openings will be made toward people with greater political or social recognition.

Then the final picture will also begin to emerge: the human geography of New Democracy with which Mr. Mitsotakis will fight for a third four-year term.