Mitsotakis starts to shape new ND team
Kyriakos Mitsotakis held his first meetings as New Democracy leader on Tuesday and began putting together his frontline team.
Mitsotakis held separate talks with two of his predecessors, Costas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras, on Tuesday lunchtime. There were no leaks regarding the content of the meetings but after speaking with Karamanlis, Mitsotakis said there had been a “very good” atmosphere during the gathering.
The meetings, particularly that with Karamanlis, who had supported Evangelos Meimarakis in Sunday’s leadership vote, were designed to stress that the party will remain united after a fractious election campaign.
Mitsotakis also began putting together his team of aides, with Iraklio MP Lefteris Avgenakis set to become secretary of New Democracy’s parliamentary group.
Former ministers Costis Hatzidakis and Miltiades Varvitsiotis are also expected to receive prominent roles. Sources said another former minister, Nikos Dendias, is due to be appointed the conservative party’s parliamentary spokesman.
Mitsotakis may also appointed another former cabinet colleague, Olga Kefaloyianni, to his frontline team. The party chief is due to address New Democracy’s MPs on Thursday for the first time since beating Meimarakis to the leadership.
