Mitsotakis hails ND victory, as Bakoyannis thanks supporters
The results of runoffs for local and regional government herald “the second step” toward a major political change for Greece, opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday, as his New Democracy party was seen sweeping almost all of the country's 13 regional units and key municipalities.
“The Greek map has been painted blue, but in this case, blue is not the color of our party, but of our country,” Mitsotakis said, adding that he wants to pursue a “moderate and civilized” race in the runup to early general elections next month, announced by the SYRIZA government after its defeat in the European elections last week.
Mitsotakis was speaking in a live video transmission from party headquarters just moments before his nephew, Costas Bakoyannis, addressed a jubilant crowd in downtown Athens, where he was elected mayor with New Democracy's backing.
“No more talk; now it's time for work, work, work,” Bakoyannis told supporters, thanking them.
“We may not win all the battles but we'll fight them together,” he added, saying that “there are no more parties as of tomorrow on the municipal council.”
