Local elections runoff in 84 municipalities and 6 regions on Sunday had a bitter surprise for ruling conservative New Democracy. It lost the large municipalities of Athens and Thessaloniki and did not manage to win all 13 regions as the prime minister’s goal was.
With 88% of the votes counted, Haris Doukas won with 55.94% in Athens, while incumbent Kostas Bakoyannis (ND) lost with 44.6%. Doukas was socialist PASOK’σ candidate, supported also by left-wing SYRIZA whose candidate did not reach a runoff position a week earlier. ςηοσε ψανδιδατε ) lost to Haris Doukas (55.94%), with 80% of votes counted.
In Thessaloniki, Stelios Angeloudis -supported by PASOK and SYRIZA – led with 67,22% against the incumbent ND Konstantinos Zervas (44.06%), and 80% of votes counted.
In the third largest municipality of the country, Patras, incumbent Kostas Peletidis from Communist KKE won a third term, with 75% of votes counted, receiving 56.86% over his opponent Konstantinos Svolis (43.14%).
In the flooded-stricken region of Thessaly, ND candidate Kostas Agorastos lost with 41%, while Dimitrios Kouretas (PASOK, SYRIZA support) won with 58.86%. Note that the ND candidate was winning the first Sunday, Oct 8.
From the 6 regions ND was expected to win today, it won just 5 with the exception of Peloponnese.
Runoff local government elections were held where candidates did not reach the required majority of at least 43% on October 8.
Regions with runoff elections included Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, North Aegean, Western Macedonia, Thessaly, Ionian Islands, and the Peloponnese.
Polling stations were open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
What is striking is the high percentage of abstention reaching approximately 70%.
As votes are still counted, final results are expected in the next hour.
Opposition parties already speak of a “crack in Mitsotakis’ hegemony.”
Some analysts blame the “arrogance of New Democracy” after winning the parliamentary elections in May and June and the first round of local elections.
People showed that “they don’t want the hegemony of ND,” many voters seem to have thought.
It remains to be seen if the ruling party got the message.
The voting on Sunday had another message, though, and thus to the progressive opposition parties: that people favor cooperation of the progressive powers, PASOK and SYRIZA.
Worth noting also the shameless blackmailing to voters in Thessaly and Halandri suburb of Athens by two government ministers last week.