Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the ND conference: the dilemma of the next elections will be Mitsotakis or Androulakis, Tsipras or anyone else
With a strong political stigma, clear criticism of the opposition and a clear message for the next national elections, the first day of the …
News Room
16 May 2026
The first day of the 16th conference of the New Democracy at the Metropolitan Expo, with the speech of the Prime Minister.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis appeared determined to set the tone for the next political battle now, stressing that the government is already planning for the next four years, with a horizon of 2030. From the beginning of his speech, he spoke of a “new national mission, asking the party’s cadres and voters to remain united.
“We are determined to go together for the Greece of 2030”, he said, while he did not hide his emotion for the reception he received from the delegates, saying that this is the most resounding answer “to those who want New Democracy to be wounded”.
The new dilemma posed by Mitsotakis
Kyriakos Mitsotakis made it clear that, in his view, the next elections will not be based on the well-known “Mitsotakis or chaos”, but on a direct comparison of people and political choices.
As he stressed, the real dilemma will be:“Mitsotakis or Androulakis”, “Mitsotakis or Tsipras”, “Mitsotakis or Konstantopoulou” or “Mitsotakis or anyone else“. With this phrase he attempted to present the New Democracy as the only political force that can guarantee stability in a period of international turmoil.
He also made a particular point of mentioning the famous “three-digit telephone”, which refers to crisis management. The Prime Minister wondered who would be the one to manage a critical situation in an unstable international environment.
“If the phone rings at 3 a.m., who will pick it up and what will it say?” he said, attempting to highlight the issue of political experience and government preparedness.
“We will not go back three four-year terms”
For the first time, Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlined the new political electoral narrative of New Democracy for the upcoming polls. “To anyone who asks ‘why should they vote for us again’, I answer: Because we “kept” Greece through the hard times and proved that we can make difficult decisions – A third four-year term means that we do not risk going back three four-year terms.”
“I also turn to the citizens we met in 2015, in the struggle to keep Greece in Europe and, today, they are keeping their distance. I don’t have the requirement that they don’t get angry. Nor should they give us a blank cheque. But I ask them to stand above faces and individual behaviors.”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: The spikes for Tsipras and Androulakis
During his speech, the Prime Minister launched a fierce attack on both Alexis Tsipras and Nikos Androulakis.
Referring to the former prime minister (Alexis Tsipras), he recalled the 2015 period and the dramatic developments of that time, saying that some people “told us that the sea has no borders”, while in the end what they understood was that “they had to close the banks”. This reference directly referred to the events of the capital controls and the financial crisis of that period.
But there was no shortage of “nails” directed at PASOK president Nikos Androulakis. Kyriakos Mitsotakis commented in a sharp tone that “a politician can be emphatic or permanently angry, but not completely unreadable”.
At the same time, he accused the opposition as a whole of investing in toxicity and liesbecause it is unable to present alternatives to government policies. Indeed, he argued that this policy has even led to personal attacks on government officials.
The report on the economy and the goals for the next four years
The prime minister also made an extensive reference to the country’s economic situation, attempting to present Greece’s path from the crisis to the present day.
He recalled that ten years ago unemployment had soared to 25%, while thousands of young people were leaving the country in search of better living conditions abroad. Today, he said, Greece is “at the forefront of growth in Europe”.
While he acknowledged that accuracy continues to put pressure on households, he argued that the answer lies in permanent income increases and tax cuts. At the same time, he referred to the reforms that have already been implemented, noting that New Democracy has remained consistent with its 2023 election pledges.
“I am saddened and angry to see accuracy nibbling away at income, a global phenomenon side-stepping a great national effort. The only solution is tax cuts and permanent pay rises that will remain constant even as inflation gradually recedes.”
He also placed particular emphasis on the goals for the next period, making reference to Health, Education, Artificial Intelligence, as well as planning to strengthen Greece’s energy role. In fact, he stressed that drilling will begin under his watch, which will be a historic development for the country.
He concluded his speech, Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a call to rally not only to the New Democracy cadres and voters, but also to citizens who had supported the party in the past and are now distancing themselves from it. As he said, the new mandate that the government will ask for will not be a “blank cheque”, but a mandate for even more work, changes and corrections.
The interventions of the top executives at the New Democracy Conference
The focus of interest today is on the statements of MPs and top executives of the New Democracy at the conference, with all eyes turning mainly to the speeches of ministers who are considered “key persons” for the next day of the party.
The intervention of Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, who will take the podium after noon, is expected to be of particular interest. In the previous period, there were growing speculations that he might present a clearer political stance for the future, while many are waiting to see if he will respond to Adonides Georgiades’ barbs about the famous “sweat shirt” reference.
For his part, Adonis Georgiades is reportedly determined to keep a low profile on intra-party issues. According to reports, the Health Minister will mainly focus on the government’s work in the field of health, but also on interventions that can lead New Democracy to a third consecutive election victory and self-reliance.
The speech of the Finance Minister and President of the Eurogroup is also expected with particular interest, Costis Hatzidakis, who is expected to emphasize the course of the economy, the reforms of the next four years and the country’s reconstruction plan. He does not even rule out sending a message of unity to the party’s inner circle, pointing out that personal strategies and “petty egos” have no place in the importance of the next elections.
According to reports, Kostis Hatzidakis is expected to stress that society is not going to support New Democracy out of habit or gratitude, but on the basis of the new commitments it will make to its citizens. At the same time, he is expected to call for a new generation of reforms with a horizon of 2030, as well as a new relationship of honesty with citizens.
At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister is expected to refer to the role of the ND as the party that has been identified with the country’s major and crucial decisions. At the same time, he is expected to admit that there have been mistakes and weaknesses, insisting, however, that the overall work of the government has contributed substantially to the upgrading of Greece’s position in recent years.
