Greece’s governing party, New Democracy, is increasingly resembling a party without allies, as political pressure mounts on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis from within and beyond its ranks.
Once the undisputed leader of the broad anti-SYRIZA camp, Mitsotakis now appears politically isolated, with little room to maneuver after the next election. Prospects for a post-election alliance with parties from the centre-left or progressive space are rapidly fading, leaving the prime minister increasingly cornered.
That isolation was made strikingly visible at a recent public event marking the 15th anniversary of the conservative newspaper Dimokratia. Former prime ministers Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras, along with former PASOK leader and ex–deputy prime minister Evangelos Venizelos, all made appearances that underscored the depth of the rift within Greece’s political establishment. Adding to the symbolism was the presence of Defence Minister Nikos Dendias in the front row, widely viewed as the most credible internal rival—and potential successor—to Mitsotakis.
Karamanlis and Samaras used the occasion to openly challenge the government’s policies, particularly on agricultural issues, while directing pointed criticism at the prime minister’s office. Karamanlis went further, sharply questioning the state of the rule of law in Greece, the functioning of the judiciary, and even raising the highly sensitive wiretapping scandal—an issue that remains largely unspoken within New Democracy itself.
Dendias’ attendance was especially notable. Despite reportedly strained relations between the prime minister and the media group that organized the event, and despite informal signals discouraging government participation, the defence minister chose to appear. His presence was widely interpreted not only as a sign of his political autonomy but also as a reminder that succession debates within New Democracy are no longer theoretical.
Relations between Mitsotakis and his two former party leaders now appear to have reached a breaking point. Samaras is increasingly believed to be preparing the launch of a new political party, though he is said to be waiting to see whether Mitsotakis might be replaced before the elections. A leadership change—particularly in favour of Dendias—could open the door to Samaras’ return to New Democracy. If Mitsotakis remains at the helm, however, Samaras is expected to move ahead with a new party shortly before the vote, potentially with the tacit backing of Karamanlis. While Karamanlis is unlikely to publicly turn against the party founded by his uncle, many within New Democracy believe he is quietly working to bring about a leadership change.
At the same time, Evangelos Venizelos’ public interventions are reshaping the broader political landscape, particularly in the centrist space that Mitsotakis has long relied upon for electoral dominance. A former leader of PASOK and a key figure in Greece’s political centre, Venizelos has sharply criticised the government, effectively undermining the legitimacy of centrist support for Mitsotakis. His stance further deepens the sense of political suffocation surrounding both the prime minister and his party.
Venizelos’ position also appears to close the door on any future cooperation between New Democracy and PASOK under Mitsotakis’ leadership. Even if such a coalition were theoretically possible, it would almost certainly require a different prime minister and party leader. As a result, Mitsotakis’ options are narrowing: either secure re-election by drawing support from parties to the right of New Democracy, including the far right, or step aside from the party leadership.
The government’s response has only intensified the confrontation. The prime minister’s office publicly attacked Karamanlis, invoking controversial agricultural subsidies during his time in office and arguing that they contributed to Greece’s fiscal collapse. In doing so, the government effectively acknowledged for the first time that New Democracy itself bore responsibility for the country’s debt crisis, abandoning its long-standing claim that blame lay solely with the centre-left government that followed.
Equally aggressive attacks were directed at Venizelos, in what many observers described as crude and politically orchestrated. Far from intimidating him, the campaign appears to have angered one of Greece’s most prominent constitutional law scholars, further escalating tensions at a moment when the prime minister’s political space is already rapidly shrinking.
