New Democracy prepares for vote to elect party president
New Democracy supporters will be able to go to polling stations across Greece on Sunday to elect a new leader or re-elect current president Evangelos Meimarakis.
The veteran conservative appears to be the clear leader in the contest, with most opinion polls showing him in the lead and Central Macedonia Governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas and former administrative reform minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as the two closest contenders.
Despite being the outsider, the fourth candidate, ex-health minister Adonis Georgadis, appeared certain on Friday that he would win after a run-off vote as he does not expect any of the other hopefuls to gain more than 50 percent to be declared the winner from the first ballot.
“I believe we will not have a president this Sunday, that we will go to a second round and that I will be elected leader next Sunday,” Georgiadis told Praktoreio 104.9 FM.
“If you like the New Democracy you see now, you obviously do not want to vote for me,” said Georgiadis in a message to conservative voters. “If you like New Democracy as you see it, then vote for Meimarakis,” added the lawmaker.
There will be 885 polling centers around the country with 1,284 ballot boxes. Another 44 ballot boxes will be available to New Democracy supporters outside of Greece.
