Ruling ND fears couch syndrome

The stunning result of the first election last Sunday has already been recorded in electoral history, but ruling New Democracy is pursuing mild tones ahead of the next election on 25 June, sensing the lairs that could be set in its path by complacency. As a government official told Kathimerini, "the tone must be particularly low," as "the ballot boxes have been emptied again and will be refilled on June 25."

First, there is the danger that the rallying call to its base may be taken lightly. The result is so clear that there is a fear that a part of the electorate will think that the game is over and may move to another party or abstain in the second elections.

"The logic that [Prime Minister Kyriakos] Mitsotakis has now definitely won should not prevail," a government source told Kathimerini, sounding the alarm that there should be no letup. The fact that the second...