The wiretapping scandal and the OPEKEPE revelations are no longer just two passing political storms for the government that Mitsotakis can easily calm and make the public forget. These two foul-smelling cases, where the governing majority has resorted to an institutional parliamentary derailment to shield compromised MPs and government officials from scrutiny, are turning into a massive boomerang for the government, as rational centrist and traditional center-right voters distance themselves even further.
ND cannot reclaim the abstention of 2024
The greatest challenge for the Maximos Mansion is not merely the disclosures themselves. The inner ND party mechanism remains comfortable. However, a vast segment of society that previously secured the 41% landslide for New Democracy has completely withdrawn. This group had already shifted toward voter abstention during the 2024 European elections, and now, witnessing these severe scandals, they refuse to return. Consequently, the ruling party, despite maintaining first place, is unable to rally its former base and is steadily losing ground to the pool of non-voters and disgruntled citizens. This is why it remains trapped around the 25% mark, shedding rather than adding support, making the 30% figure cited in polls an unachievable target under current conditions.
Parliamentary derailment to cover up responsibilities
Even worse is that while blatant cover-up maneuvers are taking place in Parliament and the Judiciary (the Tzavellas case, the Floridis legislative amendments favoring MPs), the so-called anti-establishment audience is expanding rapidly. This time, there are active political parties that this electorate is willing to listen to and support. It is no coincidence that even before these new political formations (led by Tsipras, Karystianou, and Samaras) are formally launched, opinion polls indicate high levels of public approval and anticipation remains remarkably strong. Recent polling places Tsipras second (prior to any official party announcement) and Karystianou third, particularly in the provinces where she is sweeping apolitical and anti-establishment demographics.
Anti-establishment forces grow and pivot to new parties
How can this phenomenon be explained? An increasing number of citizens, deeply disillusioned by the broader political establishment and the stance of core institutions, are pivoting toward new political parties, believing this is the only way to genuinely confront entrenched power corridors and restore accountability. For many voters, these emerging political vehicles are viewed as the sole forces capable of standing firm, demanding a meaningful delivery of justice, and breaking the market cartels across energy, retail, and the primary sector. Furthermore, the public holds a highly favorable view of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), perceiving it as the only independent body actively combating systemic corruption within EU member states.
Favorable stance toward Kovesi and the EPPO
Within this volatile climate, the uncompromising stance of Laura Kovesi against the government and Justice Minister George Floridis has taken on profound political weight. For a large portion of the public, she represents the only institutional figure who has genuinely confronted corruption and the collusion between the government, the judiciary, and mainstream media. The direct interventions of the European Public Prosecutor's Office in the OPEKEPE corruption case demonstrated that oversight bodies exist that refuse to turn a blind eye. While the ultimate political cost for New Democracy may not yet be fully captured in current polling data, the administration is receiving devastating coverage both internationally and on the domestic front.
Maximilianos
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