New Democracy

On a lightning visit to Athens on Wednesday, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy expressed support for his Greek counterpart Antonis Samaras and defended the tough economic program the outgoing government has been pursuing under the supervision of foreign creditors, saying the reforms were ?necessary? and had ?produced results,? advising Greeks to ignore ?impossible? promises.

Former conservative Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Wednesday said voting for New Democracy was the best bet to keep Greece stable and to ensure the continuation of reforms.

?The country needs more than ever political stability and far reaching reforms,? Karamanlis said in a rare statement.

Greece?s general election is drawing closer, and coalition leader New Democracy still needs to reach out and convince two categories of voters that it has so far largely ignored, that is young and middle-ground voters.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will meet with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Wednesday morning and is expected to express support for his fellow conservative leader as Greece moves into the final stretch of its election campaign, in which New Democracy will focus on the premier?s still-intact popularity.

Political parties started announcing the candidates for their state lists on Monday as campaigning heats up ahead of snap polls on January 25.

Two of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras?s closest advisers, Chrysanthos Lazaridis and Stavros Papastavros, will not be included on the party?s state list of candidates for the January 25 elections, Kathimerini understands.

Candidates on the state list do not compete for votes in the elections but are elected based on the share of the vote the party receives.

Greece's leftist opposition Syriza party will need EU/IMF approval to issue short-term debt to cover funding needs in the first quarter if it takes power after a Jan. 25 election, the finance ministry said on Monday.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is on Saturday to unveil a ?national plan for growth and reforms? in a bid to indicate that his administration is the best bet for security and improved prospects and attract more undecided voters ahead of critical snap polls on January 25.

Aris Siliotopoulos (photo), a former New Democracy minister and MP who gave up his seat in Parliament to run in May's local elections for Athens mayor, said on Friday that he will not be running on the conservative ticket in the January 25 general elections.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras promised Thursday that if he is re-elected he will not cut pensions or wages further and will give back more in the way of tax cuts and salary increases.

Speaking in Maroussi, northern Athens, Samaras focused on the fact that Greece?s public finances are back on track and that this would soon lead to a better standard of living for Greeks.