PM demands ‘dynamic restart’ from ND parliamentary group

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis demanded a “dynamic restart” from his New Democracy party’s parliamentary group on Wednesday, during its first meeting since the below-expectations European election results on June 9.

“Citizens are demanding a lot from us; fewer mistakes, more results and no cost-free words,” he said, conceding that the conservative party did not “achieve the target set” of 33%, garnering just under 28% of the vote.

Mitsotakis played down concerns that a significant increase in support for far-right and nationalist populist parties seen in the June 9 election would push New Democracy’s agenda further away from the center. He dismissed such notions as “outdated labels,” saying the only way for the party now “is forward.” However, he also added, “If the tree doesn’t grow taller and spread its branches, it means it has dried up. Roots are meant to hold the tree strong and alive, [but] there is no progress without evolution.”

Oblique criticism of certain cabinet members was not absent from the prime minister’s speech. “We had some unfortunate comments by government officials that may have alienated certain [voters]; we had inadequacies, weaknesses and, at times, silence when we should have responded to the opposition’s methodical propaganda,” Mitsotakis said.

The prime minister also sought to boost party morale – and send a message to underperforming members of his cabinet – saying that his “door is always open” to MPs, who “need to be prepared to do their part for the common goals at any given time.”

In a similar vein, he lashed out against “ministers and ministry general secretaries” who, he suggested, hinder the party’s MPs from doing their jobs. “When certain [officials] keep the problem of elected MPs at arm’s length, they are also keeping the citizens’ problems at arm’s length,” he said.

“We have three years ahead, which is plenty of time in politics, enough to allow us to fix mistakes and push ahead with the government’s work,” Mitsotakis said. “The citizens are demanding immediate results.”