Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his predecessors, Antonis Samaras and Kostas Karamanlis, have long had tense relations that reached a breaking point on October 4. This date marks the founding of the party by Konstantinos Karamanlis, Kostas Karamanlis’ uncle, after returning from exile to stabilize democracy in Greece.
The elder Karamanlis broke from the past to create a modern center-right party, leading to both Samaras and Karamanlis declining invitations to celebrate New Democracy’s 50th anniversary. Unofficially, they disdained the event as cheapening the party’s image and were displeased with Mitsotakis’ dominance.
Recent coordinated responses from Karamanlis and Samaras have criticized Mitsotakis’ foreign policy, legislation on same-sex marriage, and patriotism. MPs close to the former leaders have also become openly critical of the current government.
The Finance Ministry faced scrutiny over legislation that some MPs had previously supported, prompting a detailed rebuttal. The tensions highlight deep divisions within New Democracy and raise questions about the party’s future direction.