Mitsotakis returns mandate to form gov’t, as expected; new elex next month

Outgoing and incumbent Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday afternoon officially returned an exploratory mandate to form a new Greek government, which he received earlier in the day by the country’s head of state and less than 24 hours after his New Democracy (ND) party achieved a comfortable first-past-the-post showing in the general election.

The center-right party and its president, Mitsotakis, received nearly 41 percent (40.79 percent) of the general vote, although the figure is still not sufficient to form a one-party government, due to a simple representational electoral system in place.

Mitsotakis informed Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou of his decision by phone, as widely expected, and had earlier also briefed a handful of political party leaders on the development.

By all accounts, a second ballot will be scheduled for June 25.

As per Greece’s constitution, Sakellaropoulou will now hand the mandate to SYRIZA leader and former premier Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday morning, as the latter’s leftist party came in a disappointing second and with only a shade more than 20 percent of the general vote.

Tsipras is also widely expected to return the mandate, without engaging in any deliberations with other party leaderships to form a coalition government.

In a related development, Tsipras on Monday also said he was not “giving up the fight”, speaking after his party’s election collapse on Sunday.

“I have learned, amid difficult times, to take responsibility and not give up the fight. I remain here. I will not give up now, even amid difficult fight,” the outgoing main opposition party leader said, in response to speculation that he may step down as SYRIZA president ahead of next month’s second election.

The coming ballot will be based on a more reinforced proportionality system, giving the first party a bigger share of the 300 deputies’ seats up for grabs.