Maria Karystianou, whose 19-year-old daughter died in the deadly February 2023 Tempi train crash, greets during an event to announce her political party, Hope for Democracy, in Thessaloniki, Thursday. [Reuters]
Greek political parties are beginning to treat Maria Karystianou as a political rival following the former Tempe railway disaster activist’s formal announcement, on Thursday, that she will enter politics with her new party, Hope for Democracy.
The development changes how parties approach Karystianou’s public presence, which until now had been inseparable from the Tempe rail disaster in 2023, where she lost a child. While that identity remains, political parties are now responding primarily to her role as leader of a new political formation.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said everyone has the right to create a party, but added that the government responds “to the agenda set by society” and is not interested in commenting on “the personal agenda of anyone” who turns it into a party, “an aggressive speech, or both.”
The government and main opposition PASOK are waiting for early polling to assess the new party’s impact and whether it can attract voters from constituencies they seek to reach.
