New Democracy (Greece)

New Democracy (Greece). New Democracy is a major centre-right political party in Greece, founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis following the fall of the military junta. It has been one of the two dominant parties in modern Greek politics, alternating in power with the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and later the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA). The party advocates for liberal conservative policies, economic liberalism, and strong support for European integration and NATO.

History

The party was established by Konstantinos Karamanlis shortly after the Metapolitefsi, the transition to democracy, and won a decisive victory in the 1974 elections, with Karamanlis becoming Prime Minister of Greece. It governed Greece for much of the late 20th century, overseeing the country's accession to the European Economic Community in 1981. After a period in opposition following the rise of Andreas Papandreou and PASOK, it returned to power under Konstantinos Mitsotakis after the 1990 elections. The party faced significant challenges during the Greek government-debt crisis, leading to electoral defeat in 2009, but returned to government under Antonis Samaras in a 2012 coalition with PASOK and DIMAR. After another period in opposition during the SYRIZA-led government, it achieved a strong majority under Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the 2019 and 2023 elections.

Ideology and political positions

New Democracy's ideology is rooted in liberal conservatism and Christian democracy, promoting a social market economy, privatization, and tax reduction to stimulate growth. It is staunchly pro-European, supporting deeper integration within the European Union and adherence to agreements with institutions like the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. On foreign policy, it maintains a strong Atlanticist orientation, firmly supporting NATO and fostering close ties with the United States and Israel, while taking a hardline stance against Turkey in disputes over the Aegean Sea and Cyprus. Societally, it holds traditionally conservative positions but has modernized on some issues under Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Electoral performance

The party has consistently been one of the top two vote-getters in national elections since the Metapolitefsi. It won its first election in 1974 with a large majority and secured consecutive victories in 1977 and the 2004 elections under Kostas Karamanlis. Its vote share declined dramatically during the peak of the Greek government-debt crisis, falling to under 20% in the May 2012 election. It recovered to form a coalition government in June 2012 and, after losing to SYRIZA in 2015, returned to power with an outright parliamentary majority in 2019, which it increased in the 2023 elections. In the 2024 European elections, it finished first but with a reduced margin over SYRIZA.

Leadership

The party's founder and first leader was Konstantinos Karamanlis, who served as Prime Minister of Greece and later President of Greece. Subsequent leaders have included Konstantinos Mitsotakis, father of the current leader, and Kostas Karamanlis, nephew of the founder, who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2009. Antonis Samaras led the party during the debt crisis and served as Prime Minister from 2012 to 2015. The current leader is Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who has served as Prime Minister since 2019, winning two consecutive terms. The party presidency has also been held by figures such as Evangelos Averoff and Georgios Rallis.

Organization and structure

The party is organized with a central committee and a political council, operating under the authority of its party congress. Its youth wing is ONNED (Youth of New Democracy), and it maintains close ties with affiliated groups like the Democratic Alliance and the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE). It is a founding member of the European People's Party (EPP) and its MEPs sit in the European People's Party Group in the European Parliament. The party's headquarters are located on Syngrou Avenue in Athens, and it maintains a strong network of local offices across Greek regions and municipalities.

Category:Political parties in Greece Category:1974 establishments in Greece