Another Greek election will avoid coalition chaos
Greece needs strength and it needs stability. There is so much lost economic ground in Greece - separating us from the rest of Europe as the scars of our long, disastrous post-crash experiment with socialism begin to heal.
We have so much potential, we have made so much progress, we can’t throw all of that away on a coalition of chaos. Instead, we need a government that can confidently look out at the four year horizon of a full parliament, that can plan and can implement. And that means we need another election.
As things stand, the people of Greece have spoken clearly in support of New Democracy and of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. We have returned New Democracy as the largest party and we have rejected the prospect of a return to the bad old days of busts without booms. But because of our outdated (and technically already abolished) electoral system we are stuck.
As the Prime Minister has said, ‘There is virtually no precondition for the formation of a government by the present Parliament.’ Had the election taken place under the incoming system, New Democracy would have enjoyed a healthy majority – giving us the strength and the stability to formulate and deliver the four year plan that we need.
That leaves my country with two options – struggle on in chaos or push forwards to a decisive result. I am immensely relieved that we have chosen the second option and am excited to cast my vote for New Democracy on the 23rd June.
In order to ensure that we wake up on the 24th of June with a Government that has a clear mandate to steer us stably through the next four years, we need to use this campaign to talk honestly about the issues we face and the choices we must make. We need to have more detail from all of the parties on how they will tackle everything - from everyday priorities like low-wages and prosperity to macro-issues like climate change and regional instability.
By having a real debate on these questions, we can ensure that not only is there a real plan in place but that this plan has been validated by the voters - that we are all clear-sighted about what should happen next, what has been promised, what success looks like.
People often ask me why I am so passionate about New Democracy. The answer I give is that we can only make Greece into the kind, generous country that we all want if we create prosperity. That unlocks everything. It means higher wages, it means better welfare, it funds world-class public services.
Where does prosperity come from? It comes from entrepreneurs and investors. Entrepreneurs like me build things and grow things, we are part of the engine of economic prosperity. But investors are vital too. They are the ones who give the backing that bring ideas to life. And what do investors look for when they are deciding where to invest? A plan. A clear vision. Stability in delivering that vision. That is where investors see opportunity. And that is why I am passionate about New Democracy – because we are the party that has the plan, and because with a fresh mandate, investors will have confidence that we will deliver.
A second election in a year might look to the outside world like political chaos. It isn’t, it is an opportunity for stability. We have many problems – in our economy, in our society – but we have been steadily building our way back from the brink. Now is not the time to throw that away, as Greek voters acknowledged when they gave New Democracy a second term.
But if we are to truly deliver against that mandate then we need to have the majority that enables action. A second election is Greece’s chance to give ourselves a clear route to development and prosperity. I believe Greece will seize that opportunity with enthusiasm.
Christina Georgaki is an elected member of the political committee of New Democracy, the centre-right governing party of Greece.
