Samaras to ‘Vima’: Support for Karamanlis as Next President-Ex-PM expelled from Ruling ND Party

Samaras succeeded Karamanlis, who served as prime minister himself from 2004 to 2009, at the helm of New Democracy (ND) party in late 2009. He was prime minister from 2012 to 2015 at the head of two coalition governments in that period and convincingly lost the January 2015 election to radical left SYRIZA party. Samaras remained as center-right ND’s president until July 5, 2015, announcing his resignation on the heels of a controversial referendum asking voters whether they approved or not of a new bailout agreement with institutional creditors. The “no” vote carried the day by a margin of 2 to 1.

In the Samaras Vima interview, the former PM said he considers Karamanlis as the best choice for president of the republic, which in Greece comprises a ceremonial head of state position that, however, in the past risked triggering a snap election when a majority of Parliament deputies didn’t materialize to elect a new president – as was the case for the snap January 2015 election. Constitutional revision after 2019 eliminated this possibility.

At the same time, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and ruling ND party have carefully avoided speculation on whether the incumbent president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, will supported in 2025 by ruling ND and its deputies for re-election by Parliament. Sakellaropoulou has also avoided any mention of her intentions.

FM should be replaced

Samaras, considered as a “hawk” amongst Greece’s political establishment, also raised eyebrows by demanding the resignation of Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, accusing the latter of “appeasement’ in the face of Turkish provocations.

Among others, the former premier said in the interview:

“… a constant ‘appeasement’ of Turkish provocations is not a centrist policy. In this case, for example, he (Kyriakos Mitsotakis) should ‘send home’ those who declare that, in the name of ‘friendship and tranquility’ with Turkey, they’ll tolerate being described as ‘appeasers’. How did this come about? Why should someone who follows the standing national policy be called an appeaser? Such things are never said.”

Samaras’ quip was aimed at a statement that Gerapetritis made last month, when the latter declared that “If we’re to enjoy a peaceful neighborhood, then let them (critics) even call me an appeaser.”

The veteran politician also spoke on the now trendy international debate surrounding a so-called “woke agenda” and the election of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States:

“I wonder, did Trump have to be elected for some people to understand what the woke agenda means for the vast majority of any society? What do the waves of instrumentalized illegal migrants, and the rushed ‘green transition’ mean? – which has created a very resilient (high) cost of living, which nibbles away at incomes and undermines the economy’s competitiveness. These (issues) generated Trump’s big victory. I have, indeed, warned Europe and Greece about all of this, a hundred times, long before Donald Trump reappeared on the scene. At the time some people would look at me funny.”

Ex-PM Samaras expelled from Ruling ND Party

The expulsion was announced by government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, who cited the statements in the “To Vima” interview, which will be published in its entirety on Sunday, Nov. 17. The spokesman characteristically noted that Samaras had “himself chosen to exit” the party.

In a statement, Pavlos Marinakis said:

“As we’ve said many times before, former prime ministers retain a special privilege to express their views and concerns on policy matters from time to time. However, Mr. Samaras, during his last interview didn’t express any views. He did express his total disagreement with current government policy, in its entirety.

“Moreover, with an inappropriate and provocative manner, he has adopted extreme lies, distorting statements by the foreign minister, which have been repeatedly and thoroughly clarified. He even went so far as to claim that the Greek Prime Minister and the President of the Republic of Cyprus were ‘cuddling up’ to the President of Turkey and the Prime Minister of Albania.

“Finally, the untimely debate over which he has insisted, regarding (next year’s) election (by Parliament) of the President of the Republic is an insult to the person and the institution of the head of state. All of the aforementioned can neither be tolerated nor accepted. Society has left behind, several years now, practices of political ‘stewardship’ and attitudes characterized by partisan ‘grudges’…those who envision a diminished New Democracy back to the level 18% (of the popular vote), should consider that with Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ policy New Democracy has won three general elections to date with percentages ranging at 40%.

“Therefore, Mr. Samaras, with his interview today, has placed himself, for the second time since 1993, out of the New Democracy. After all, this is what he sought. This time, however, history will not repeat itself. The ruling majority is steadily continuing on its course without Mr. Samaras. No one has the right to play games with the country’s stability amid these troubled times.”

Source: pagenews.gr