German MEP expected to announce formation of political party in Greece
German MEP Jorgo Chatzimarkakis was expected to announce the establishment of a new political party in Greece on Thursday. The new political movement is expected to participate in the European Parliament election in May.
An elected Member of the European Parliament for the German Liberal Party since 2004, Chatzimarkakis announced his intention to quit German politics in April last year, citing his party’s overall negative stance toward Greece in crisis as well as the hostility of German public opinion, among other reasons.
The announcement regarding the establishment of the new movement was expected to take place at the European Parliament Office in central Athens on Thursday afternoon. The venue’s choice, Chatzimarkakis said, underlined the new party’s European orientation.
Speaking to the press earlier this week, he noted that he would not collaborate with any other party in the upcoming election.
Born in Duisburg, Germany, in 1966, Chatzimarkakis is of Cretan descent.