New Democracy, the center-right party that has been governing Greece for the last five years, is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Friday October 4, with a street party at 18 Rigillis Street, in front of the iconic building that was the party’s headquarters for decades.
Members and supporters of New Democracy are invited at 8:00 PM to participate in an event that has been planned as a unity celebration in the form of a street party, giving old and new members the chance to come together.
October 4, 1974, was the official founding day of the conservative New Democracy. It had only been a few weeks since the fall of the Junta in Greece (1967-1974) that a national unity government led by Konstantinos Karamanlis, the founder of New Democracy, was formed.
However, the party’s unity under the current leadership of Kyriakos Mitsotakis has often been questioned and criticized by older political members, accusing the prime minister for shifting the party more towards the center and steering away from the traditional “right” values of its “father” Kostantinos Karamanlis.
Amongst those who have distanced themselves from the party, in recent years, showing their dissatisfaction towards the current leadership strategies, are former prime ministers Antonios Samaras and Kostas Karamanlis, with their attendance to the celebrations considered uncertain.
On Monday, Kyriakos Mitsotakis personally invited both former prime ministers to the celebration, signaling his efforts to bridge any divides and promote unity within the party.
Kostas Karamanlis, the longest-serving leader of New Democracy and deeply associated with its history, is expected to make an appearance, albeit brief.
Samaras, on the other hand, is less likely to attend, though he has kept his intentions undisclosed, leaving open the possibility of showing up to send a message of unity.
