Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed the Parliamentary Group of the New Democracy (ND) party in the Plenary Chambers of the Parliament on Wednesday.

Opening the session, Mitsotakis said Greek citizens demanded more of their representatives “They ask for fewer mistakes and more effort, tangible results instead of cheap words”.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the result of the European elections did not alter the balance of power in the Greek parliament. “We have a duty to chart a clear horizon. Our path only leads forward. We are far from outdated labels that, in our era, have likely exhausted their significance,” he emphasized, rejecting any notion of returning to the roots. “We have never denied our ‘roots’ – however, if the tree does not grow tall and spread out, then the roots wither. When its branches grow, they justify the role of the roots as well,” he said.

The Greek PM highlighted the fact that the session coincided with the first anniversary of ND’s emphatic victory in the June 2023 elections. “We received a resounding mandate from the citizens to implement our plan. This mandate remains fully valid even after the European elections. The result does not reflect the goal we had set, but it does record the clear superiority of ND,” he said.

Commenting on the recent poor showing of the party in the European Elections, Mitostakis reflected that it was imperative to be “honest” and interpret the voters’ stance, pointing to the high abstention rate vis-à-vis the party’s shortcomings.

He noted that those who abstained “consciously chose not to trust another political force.”

The Greek PM went on to urge party members to move forward by regrouping. “We are moving forward by renewing our forces and saying no to those who want a small and fearful ND,” the Premier emphasized at another point in his speech.