Former prime minister Antonis Samaras is moving closer to establishing his own party, further complicating Greece’s political scene, less than a year before the country holds its next national elections.
The conservative politician, who just turned 75 over the weekend, led New Democracy from 2009 till 2015. He headed a coalition government from 2012 till 2015, the first year along with PASOK and Democratic Left, and the rest of the period without the latter, which left the coalition due to disagreements over specific policies.
Despite a personal tragedy – the death of his daughter 10 months ago – Samaras seems determined to enter the fray with the aim of depriving Kyriakos Mitsotakis of a third term.
A staunch critic of the woke agenda, he is championing traditional family values and a nationalist foreign policy….
But it is not only the ideological differences with Mitsotakis that are the driving force behind Samaras’ moves. There is also a lot of personal animosity toward the present PM and it shows. Whatever the reasons the rift is real, deep and could make a difference.
