Greece's centre-right Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a cabinet reshuffle today as his New Democracy party continues to fall in opinion polls.
Last week, the government narrowly avoided a no-confidence vote brought by the opposition over its alleged cover-up of a deadly train crash that killed 57 people, mostly young people.
Polls show that most Greeks believe the government is covering up for politicians responsible for the train wreck. With the reshuffle, Mitsotakis is attempting to reboot the government as parliamentary debate over the crash is expected to intensify.
Brief: Train disaster that could bring down Greek government
Frustration with governments in Athens and Brussels increases pressure for accountability
Right turn
Mitsotakis decided to give the hot seat of transport minister to the current deputy economy minister, Christos Dimas, who belongs to the new generation of politicians.
He also nominated another young member, Konstantinos Kyranakis, who represents the party's conservative wing and is expected to defend the government's approach to the matter in a public debate.
Another change in the cabinet is Kyriakos Pierrakakis, who will be the new economy minister. Despite his socialist background, Pierrakakis is considered a liberal politician and is very popular in the government.
Makis Voridis, a hardliner from the party's right-wing faction, will become migration minister, a move aimed at halting the rightward shift of voters.
Finally, the current Finance Minister Kostis Hadzidakis becomes Mitsotakis's chief of staff and will be responsible for coordinating policy. Hadzidakis has a centrist liberal profile and belongs to the New Democracy hardcore.
Most suitable PM? No
The handling of the train crash has dealt Mitsotakis a major political blow, with polls showing that only a coalition government can govern Greece in the future.
However, the fragmentation of the left, combined with the absence of a prominent opposition politician, makes it difficult to find a serious competitor to New Democracy.
Polls The most suitable prime minister is supposed to be “nobody”, followed by Mitsotakis, with PASOK socialist leader Nikos Androulakis trailing far behind.
New Democracy still leads the last two polls with 25.8–27%. However, for the first time since coming to power in 2019, the second and third parties combined – the left-wing Freedom Course (15.2–16.6%) and the socialist PASOK (13.1–13.7%) – exceed the conservatives’ share.
The far-right Greek Solution party and the Communist Party (KKE) are neck and neck for fourth place (around 10%), while the left-wing Syriza party of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has dropped to 6%.
The Rise of Konstantopoulos
The rise of the left-wing, anti-government Freedom Course has upset Greek politics, causing confusion in Athens.
The party was founded by Zoe Konstantopoulou, who split from Alexis Tsipras's SYRIZA party in 2016 after refusing to implement austerity measures during the country's economic crisis.
Konstantopoulou is seen as a tough politician representing an anti-system force. She has been a vocal critic of the government's handling of the train wreck – and it is paying off in the polls.
Analysts in Athens estimate that only a progressive front can topple the Mitsotakis government. But intense backstabbing and friendly fire between left-wing parties make such a coalition unlikely – at least for now.
For its part, SYRIZA is trying hard to convince PASOK to join forces in the Greek parliament and develop a joint progressive program ahead of the next elections, scheduled for 2027.
Socialist Androulakis insists on the party's autonomous path despite its falling popularity. The “Greek Watergate” scandal during the Mitsotakis government, when Androulakis' phone was tapped by Greek security services, did not help his position.
Mitsotakis never explained why Androulakis was placed under surveillance, ignoring a court order suggesting otherwise.
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Source: Source
