2023 Greek legislative election

2023 Greek legislative election The 2023 Greek legislative election was a snap parliamentary contest held in two rounds, on 21 May and 25 June, to elect all 300 members of the Hellenic Parliament. The election was called by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following his party's strong performance in local elections, aiming to secure a stable parliamentary majority. The second round, conducted under a revised electoral law, resulted in a decisive victory for New Democracy, allowing Mitsotakis to form a single-party government, while the main opposition Syriza suffered significant losses.

Background

The political landscape was shaped by the previous 2019 Greek legislative election, which had brought New Democracy to power under Kyriakos Mitsotakis. His government's term was dominated by managing the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece, rising global inflation, and the 2023 Greek rail disaster which triggered public outrage. Seeking a renewed mandate, Mitsotakis dissolved parliament after the 2023 Greek local elections, where his party performed well, setting the stage for a snap national vote. The caretaker government was led by senior judge Ioannis Sarmas of the Council of State.

Electoral system

The May election was conducted under the reinforced proportionality system established by the Hellenic Parliament, which had a 3% electoral threshold and provided a bonus of up to 50 seats to the leading party. As no party achieved an outright majority, a second round was required. For the June contest, a different system was applied following a 2016 law passed by the Syriza-ANEL coalition; this system granted a 20-seat bonus to the first-place party, making it easier to form a majority government. Both rounds used open list proportional representation within 59 multi-member constituencies.

Parties and leaders

The center-right incumbent New Democracy was led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The major opposition was the left-wing Syriza, led by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The center-left PASOK – Movement for Change, under Nikos Androulakis, aimed to reclaim its historical position. Other significant parties included the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) led by Dimitris Koutsoumpas, the right-wing Greek Solution of Kyriakos Velopoulos, and the newly formed far-right National Party – Greeks led by former Golden Dawn member Ilias Kasidiaris. Several smaller parties like Course of Freedom and MeRA25 also contested.

Opinion polls

Throughout the campaign, opinion polls conducted by firms like Metron Analysis, Pulse RC, and Interview consistently showed New Democracy holding a substantial lead over Syriza, often by 15-20 percentage points. Surveys indicated a potential fragmentation of the opposition vote, with gains for PASOK – Movement for Change and the Communist Party of Greece. Polls accurately predicted that no single party would secure a majority in the first round, necessitating the second ballot under the more majoritarian system.

Results

In the May first round, New Democracy won 40.79% of the vote but fell five seats short of a majority, securing 146 seats. Syriza received 20.07%, a severe decline, winning 71 seats. PASOK – Movement for Change gained 11.46% and 41 seats, while the Communist Party of Greece won 7.23%