Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used a lunch with Greek diaspora organisations in New York to make his case for re-election ahead of the general election due in spring 2027. He also sent a message to neighbouring Turkey and announced that US energy giant ExxonMobil would carry out its first exploratory drilling for natural gas in Greece next spring.

“We have to work twice as hard to convince Greeks we deserve their trust”

Mitsotakis, whose centre-right New Democracy party has governed since 2019 and won a second term in 2023, said he was not chasing a third term as such, but a fresh mandate. The phrase had not come from him but from someone else in the room, and he took the opportunity to clarify what he was seeking: another election victory that would allow him to keep changing the country, improve the lives of ordinary Greeks and strengthen Greece’s geopolitical and economic standing abroad.

“It was mentioned earlier that we are seeking a third term. Let me tell you, this is not about breaking a record. It is really about changing the country,” he said. “That is what drives me and drives our government to keep working hard to improve the lives of ordinary Greeks, and to strengthen Greece’s geopolitical and economic position abroad. And we approach this challenge with great humility.”

He added: “We know very well that the longer you stay in power, the stronger the perception among some that there is a need for change. So we have to work twice as hard to convince the Greek people that we deserve their trust.”

“This is the most important vote of confidence in the government to carry on with difficult reforms. Fiscal discipline allows us to support citizens,” Mitsotakis said. “There is no comparison with where things stood in 2019, but it is clear the job is not done. There is a lot of work still to do and many more reforms to implement. A great deal of effort is needed to make sure that what we have achieved is essentially irreversible.”

He nonetheless struck a confident note on his record. “When I look at the promises we made to the Greek people in 2023 and at our track record, I believe we can look at ourselves in the mirror and say: yes, we have delivered on most, if not all, of the commitments we made to Greeks in 2023,” he said. “That is a seal of approval, of trust and of credibility for the agreement we signed with the Greek people four years ago.”

The prime minister said Greece remained a source of stability in a turbulent neighbourhood, a growing economy and, a decade on from its debt crisis, a model of fiscal discipline. “I don’t think many people would have bet in 2026 that Greece would be borrowing at a lower interest rate than four G7 countries,” he said.

“Greece threatens no one, but we will accept no threats from anyone”

Mitsotakis repeated his message to Ankara. “Greece threatens no one, but we will not accept threats from anyone either. I want that to be absolutely clear,” he said. “We are living through turbulent times in a difficult neighbourhood. We know that, given the challenges we face, we need deterrence capability. That is what we are building, and what we will continue to build.”

ExxonMobil’s first exploratory gas drilling set for spring 2027

Mitsotakis revealed that ExxonMobil would begin its first exploratory drilling for natural gas around spring 2027. “Greece is a leader in renewables, but we know we will be relying on natural gas to generate electricity for the foreseeable future,” he said.

He also highlighted energy co-operation with the United States. “We are opening new corridors of co-operation with the US. Years ago, we simply imported gas. Now we import gas and send it through the Vertical Corridor to our northern neighbours, to provide energy security,” he said, with emphasis. The Vertical Corridor is a network of pipelines carrying gas, including US liquefied natural gas, from Greece north through the Balkans towards Ukraine and central Europe.

Turning finally to voting by Greeks abroad, who have been able to cast postal ballots since a 2024 reform, Mitsotakis told the audience: “You can feel proud of the progress the country has made. For me, there is no greater satisfaction than travelling abroad and being asked just one thing: how did you do it? How did you turn Greece around?”