Greek elections 2023: Foreign media see New Democracy wide lead and second elections

The foreign media are predicting a victory for New Democracy by a wide margin, citing the results of the exit polls, but pointing out the prospect of a second contest.

Greece’s ruling conservative New Democracy party is leading in Sunday’s general election but appears to fall short of the required majority to form a government, according to an exit poll. “If the poll results are confirmed, Greece’s political parties will have nine days to find partners for a governing coalition or new elections would be called in about a month,” the news agency wrote.

The Associated Press points out that New Democracy is leading in the exit polls, but is unlikely to win enough seats to form a new government outright. He adds that Kyriakos Mitsotakis will look for alliances and that – in case of failure to form a government – Greece will go to new elections at the end of June or the beginning of July. He also points out that it was the first electoral contest after leaving the memorandums and supervision.

The investment grade

Voters seemed “convinced by Mitsotakis’ promise to capitalize on one of the fastest economic recoveries in the European Union, which has brought Greece to the threshold of returning to investment grade,” Bloomberg writes, stressing that the next showdown will take place with a different electoral system that will give a bonus to the first party, dropping the threshold for self-reliance to 38%, depending on the number of parties that enter Parliament.

In the French Liberation they comment that “the conservatives are in the lead” by a wide margin according to the exit polls with SYRIZA “being far behind” The result the French newspaper comments that “could portend difficulties for the formation of a stable government”.

Typical is the first report by Turkey’s Anadolu, which simply quotes the result of the exit polls without further comment.

Mitsotakis is “unscathed”.

“Mitsotakis has apparently emerged unscathed from the last four years of his prime ministership, despite being weighed down by a spying scandal, soaring inflation and growing concerns about the rule of law,” writes Politico.

He also adds that Greece’s conservative ruling party was ahead in Sunday’s election, according to early exit polls, but a second round of national votes is the most likely scenario.

“Although a coalition government would be possible, Mitsotakis has not hidden the fact that he would prefer a majority government and lead to second elections,” he says, adding that he would then be able to gather an absolute majority thanks to a system that grants the winning party bonus up to 50 seats in parliament.