Greece has concluded another Parliamentary election. It was the second in as many months. The previous one did not result in an outright majority for any other contesting political parties. And none of those necessary to form a governing coalition were willing to do so.
So, that left things in something of a stalemate. A second go-round was called for. In the meantime, Supreme Court Judge Ioannis Sarmas was appointed to serve as the temporary prime minister. The results for round two of voting seemed to have avoided the particular issues with the first.
Mitsotakis' New Democracy party sails to victory
New Democracy has put up a dominant performance in the most recent election. The party promotes a platform of centrist to center-right policies. It by far scored the most votes and seats in the election a few weeks prior. But it fell a little shy of capturing the coveted outright majority of the Hellenic Parliament.
For election number two, the 'majority bonus' system was implemented in hopes of averting another impasse. The system has been used by a handful of European nations over the years. Probably most notably Italy, though it no longer utilizes the method. Essentially, the party or coalition that wins the most votes gets extra seats separate from those that were already contested.
Former Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' party won the popular vote and the traditional seat total in a blowout. Well over doubling the amount of votes cast for its nearest competitor. Finishing in a distant second place was Syriza, led by another ex-prime minister, Alexis Tsipras. Syriza, with a left-wing platform, has secured less than one-third of the seats going for New Democracy.
In third place was the center-leftist PASOK - Movement for Change. Followed by the Communist Party of Greece in fourth. The very conservative parties Spartans, Greek Solution and Victory came next. The Spartans and Greek Solution won the same amount of seats and roughly the same percentage of votes. With Victory coming just a little behind.
Rounding out the parties winning Parliamentary representation was Course of Freedom. The anti-establishment party is led by former Parliament Speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou.
Mitsotakis returns as prime minister
After a brief departure, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is once again the prime minister of Greece. He is a member of one of his country's most prominent political families. His father, Konstantinos, was himself the prime minister during the 1990s. Dora Bakoyannis, daughter of Konstantinos and sister of Kyriakos, was the mayor of Athens, later minister of foreign affairs. Her son, Kostas, is the current mayor of Athens and former governor of Central Greece.
Konstantinos was also the great-nephew of a prime minister, Eleftherios Venizelos.
As well as cousin of another, Sofoklis Venizelos.
When Kyriakos was an infant, the family fled Greece after the government was overthrown. By that time, his father had already been a prominent politician. They took refuge in Turkey and France before they were able to return home.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis was later educated in the United States and worked with Chase Manhattan Bank. For his national service requirements, he joined the Hellenic Army.
Before going into politics, Mitsotakis was employed at McKinsey & Company, among others. In 2000, he was a staffer for New Democracy. Four years later, he was elected to the Hellenic Parliament from the Constituency of Athens B.
Mitsotakis would serve in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
In early 2016, he was elected as the new president of New Democracy. As a result, he simultaneously became the new leader of the Official Opposition. He led the party to a win in the 2019 Parliamentary election, making him prime minister.
