Kyriakos Mitsotakis took office today as the newest Prime Minister of Greece, replacing Alexis Tsipras. Mitsotakis is the leader of the New Democracy party which swears to the joint interests of free market economics and strong state social intervention, resulting in what is considered in European politics a “center-right” position. The former Prime Minister Konstantinos Mitsotakis of the New Democracy party was Kyriakos’ father.
Kyriakos saw broad victory in the elections which were held on July 7. His party more than doubled their previous representation in the Greek Parliament, rising from 75 seats to 158, giving them a solid majority in the 300 seat body and negating any need to form a coalition government.
Kyriakos has appeased the nationalists who had previously fled to the Soviet-linked Golden Dawn party by making his disapproval of migrants clear, while simultaneously refusing to sign on to the hardline tactics and overt racism which have alienated many Greek citizens. The Golden Dawn, which publicly endorses U.S. President Donald Trump, lost 18 seats.
The new Prime Minister’s vocal stance against migrants leaves open the possibility that he will have a better relationship with Trump than the outgoing PM, an avowed socialist. This is uncertain, because the President’s appreciation and rapport with foreign leaders is not necessarily tied to their policy, as his relationships with France, Britain, Japan, North Korea and Russia amply demonstrate.
Kyriakos’ qualifications as an expert in finance with a lifetime of association with political figures provided much of the impetus for his landslide election success. His primary goal, per his election platform, is to correct the economic damage which has resulted in a decade of poverty for a prominent European nation and a key trade hub for the world.
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