ND candidate withdraws from elections amid controversial healthcare remarks

Spiros Pnevmatikos, an MP candidate for New Democracy in Evia, has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming June 25 elections. This decision comes in the wake of his controversial remarks regarding the management of cancer patients, which sparked a wave of reactions.

During an interview on SKAI TV on Thursday, Pnevmatikos, a medical professor, appeared to condone the idea of healthcare rationing for terminally ill cancer patients. He stated, “At some point, we need to draw a line for terminally ill cancer patients because coping with the required expenses becomes exceedingly difficult.”

Following the backlash, Pnevmatikos took to Facebook on Friday to issue an apology, asserting that his comments had been misinterpreted. He further mentioned that he had reached an agreement with the conservative party to withdraw from the electoral race and relinquish his seat if elected as an MP.

In his Facebook statement, he said, “Because my words in the interview created wrong impressions and allowed room for misinterpretation, in consultation with the party’s president, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the New Democracy party officials, I am withdrawing from the electoral campaign. I declare that if elected, I will resign as a Member of Parliament and give up the seat. I sincerely apologize to each citizen and patient individually.”