New Democracy (Greece)

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File:Karamanlis-konstantinos2.jpg, founder of New Democracy]]

New Democracy was founded on 4 October 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis, in the beginning of the metapolitefsi era following the fall of the Greek junta.{{Cite book|last=Pappas|first=T.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7mIGBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT26|title=Populism and Crisis Politics in Greece|date=2014-07-16|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-137-41058-0|pages=14|quote=New Democracy (ND), a center-right party founded by Karamanlis in October 1974}} Karamanlis, who had already served as Prime Minister of Greece from 1955 to 1963, was sworn in as the first Prime Minister of the Third Hellenic Republic in a national unity government on 24 July 1974, until the first free elections of the new era.{{Cite web |title=The Hellenic Government |url=https://www.mfa.gr/missionsabroad/en/about-greece/government-and-politics/the-hellenic-government.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=www.mfa.gr}}{{Cite news |last=Konstandaras |first=Nikos |date=2014-07-27 |title=Greece's Watershed Year |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/opinion/Greeces-Watershed-Year.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |issn=0362-4331}} He intended New Democracy to be a more modern and progressive political party than the right-wing parties that ruled Greece before the 1967 Greek coup d'état, including his own National Radical Union (ERE). The party's ideology was defined as "radical liberalism", a term defined as "the prevalence of free market rules with the decisive intervention of the state in favour of social justice." The party was formed out of a National Radical Union core and dissident members of the pre-Junta Centre Union. It included members of both former Monarchist and Venizelist backgrounds.

In the 1974 legislative election, New Democracy obtained a massive parliamentary majority of 220 seats with a record 54.37% of the vote, a result attributed to the personal appeal of Karamanlis to the electorate. Karamanlis was elected as prime minister and soon decided to hold a referendum on 8 December 1974 for the issue of the form of government; with a large majority of 69.17%, monarchy was eventually abolished in favour of a republic. The next major issue for the New Democracy cabinet was the creation of the Constitution of Greece, which entered into force in 1975 and established Greece as a parliamentary republic. On 12 June 1975, Greece applied to join the European Communities, of which it was already an associate member since 1961, while it had already been readmitted to the Council of Europe on 28 November 1974.

In the 1977 election, New Democracy won again a large parliamentary majority of 171 seats, albeit with a reduced percentage of popular vote (41.84%). Under Karamanlis, Greece redefined its relations with NATO and tried to resolve the Cyprus problem following the Turkish invasion of the island. In 1979, the first conference of the party was held in Chalkidiki, where its ideological principles defined under the term "radical liberalism" were unanimously approved, as well as its statute and the operating regulations of its organizations.{{cite web|url=http://nd.gr/istoria|title=History|work=New Democracy official website|access-date=23 January 2015|language=el}} It was the first conference of any Greek political party whose delegates were elected by the members.

Karamanlis' vision concerning the accession of Greece into the European Communities, despite the resolute opposition of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE),{{cite web|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_accession_of_greece-en-61a2a7a5-39a9-4b06-91f8-69ae77b41515.html|title=The accession of Greece|date=11 September 2012|work=CVCE|access-date=23 January 2015|page=2}} led to the signing of the Treaty of Accession on 28 May 1979 in Athens; following the ratification of the act by the Hellenic Parliament on 28 June 1979, Greece became the tenth member state of the European Communities on 1 January 1981.{{Cite web |title=Greece – EU member country profile {{!}} European Union |url=https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/country-profiles/greece_en |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=european-union.europa.eu }} Karamanlis was criticised by opposing parties for not holding a referendum,{{cite book|last=Lauth Bacas|first=Jutta|title=Ethnologia Balkanica|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ogSzrXJEfMC|publisher=LIT Verlag|year=2004|page=8}} even though Greece's accession into the European Communities had been in the forefront of New Democracy's political platform, under which the party had been elected to power. Meanwhile, Karamanlis relinquished the premiership in 1980 and was elected as President of Greece by the parliament, serving until 1985.{{Cite web |title=Karamanlis: The Leader Who Dominated Post-World War II Greece |url=https://greekreporter.com/2023/04/30/karamanlis-leader-greece/ |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=www.greekreporter.com|date=30 April 2023 }} Georgios Rallis was elected as the new leader of New Democracy and succeeded Karamanlis in premiership.

Under the leadership of Georgios Rallis, New Democracy was defeated in the 1981 legislative elections by Andreas Papandreou's PASOK which ran on a left-wing progressive platform, and was placed in opposition for a first time with 35.87% share of the vote and 115 seats. On the same day, on 18 October 1981, New Democracy was also defeated in the first Greek election to the European Parliament. In the following December, the party's parliamentary group elected Evangelos Averoff, former Minister for National Defence, as president of New Democracy, but he resigned in 1984 due to health problems. On 1 September 1984, Konstantinos Mitsotakis succeeded him in the party's presidency and he managed to increase its percentage in the 1985 elections to 40.85%, although it was defeated again and remained in opposition.

File:Mitsotakis and Demirel in 1992.jpg and Süleyman Demirel (Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey respectively) in the 1992 World Economic Forum]]

Mitsotakis led New Democracy to a clear win in the June 1989 legislative elections registering 44.28% of the vote but, due to the modification of the electoral law by the outbound PASOK government, New Democracy obtained only 145 seats which were not enough to form a government on its own. The aftermath was the formation of a coalition government under Tzannis Tzannetakis, consisted of New Democracy and Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos), with the latter also including at the time the Communist Party of Greece. In the subsequent elections of November 1989, New Democracy took one more comfortable win, increasing its share to 46.19% of the vote and 148 seats but, under the same electoral law, they were still short of forming a government and this led to a national unity government along with PASOK and Synaspismos, under Xenophon Zolotas.

Eventually, in the 1990 election Mitsotakis' New Democracy defeated once again Papandreou's PASOK with a lead of 8.28%, but this time the 46.89% of votes awarded them with 150 seats, which allowed Mitsotakis to form a majority in the parliament with the support of Democratic Renewal's (DIANA) sole member of parliament and one more seat given by the Supreme Special Court, after a mistake in seat calculation was detected. After three consecutive wide wins with high vote percentages, Mitsotakis became the 178th Prime Minister of Greece and the 7th Prime Minister of the 3rd Hellenic Republic though with a slim parliamentary majority of 152 seats due to the electoral law in force at the time.

In a turbulent international political environment following the 1989 Fall of Communism in Europe, Mitsotakis' government focused on cutting government spending, the privatization of state enterprises, the reformation of the public administration and the restoration of the original electoral system, with the addition of an election threshold of 3%. In foreign policy, the priorities were the restoration of confidence among Greece's economic and political partners, NATO and the United States. Mitsotakis also supported a new dialogue with Turkey on the Cyprus dispute and a compromise over the Macedonia naming dispute; the latter triggered an irritation among the MPs of New Democracy, which led Antonis Samaras to leave it and form a new political party in June 1993, Political Spring; one more withdrawal later from its parliamentary group resulted in New Democracy's loss of the majority in the parliament and the call of early elections.

In the 1993 elections, New Democracy suffered an easy defeat with 39.30% of the vote, something that led to Mitsotakis' resignation and the election of Miltiadis Evert in the party's leadership. In the early 1996 legislative election, New Democracy was defeated again by Costas Simitis' PASOK registering 38.12%, but Evert obtained a re-election as the party's leader in the same year. However, in the spring of 1997 a new conference took place, in order to elect a new president among others. Kostas Karamanlis, nephew of the party's founder, was elected the sixth president of New Democracy.

Under Karamanlis, New Democracy experienced an evident increase in popularity, but in the 2000 elections they lost by only 1.06% of the popular vote, the smallest margin in modern Greek history, registering 42.74% and obtaining 125 seats in the parliament. By 2003, New Democracy was consistently leading Simitis' PASOK in opinion polls; in January 2004 Simitis resigned and announced elections for 7 March, while George Papandreou succeeded him in PASOK's leadership.

Despite speculation that Papandreou would succeed in restoring the party's fortunes, in the 2004 election Karamanlis managed to take a clear win with 45.36% of the vote and 165 seats, and New Democracy returned to power after eleven years in opposition, scoring an all-time record of 3,359,682 votes in the history of Greek elections. The regions that consistently support New Democracy include the Peloponnese, Central Macedonia and West Macedonia. On the other hand, the party is weak in Crete, the Aegean Islands, Attica and West Greece.

File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - Karamanlis5.jpg giving an interview at a 2008 EPP summit]]

On 16 September 2007, Kostas Karamanlis won re-election with a diminished majority in Parliament, and stated: "Thank you for your trust. You have spoken loud and clear and chosen the course the country will take in the next few years." George Papandreou, PASOK, accepted defeat (New Democracy party with 41.87%, and opposition party PASOK had 38.1%).{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070917/ap_on_re_eu/greece_election;_ylt=Ak1HlPFy68.81A6ZGYgOifOs0NUE|title=Yahoo.com, Prime minister's party wins Greek vote}}

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File:Kiosk of political party – New Democracy (Greece) 01.jpg for the 2009 Greek legislative election]]

On 2 September 2009 Karamanlis announced his intention to call an election, although one was not required until September 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/world/europe/04greece.html|title=Greek Premier, Dogged by Many Troubles, Takes Risk With Snap Elections|last=Carassava|first=Anthee|date=3 September 2009|work=The New York Times}} The parliament was dissolved on 9 September, and the 2009 legislative election was held on 4 October. New Democracy's share of the parliamentary vote dropped to 33.47% (down by 8.37%) and they won only 91 of 300 seats, dropping by 61 since the last election.{{cite web|url=http://ekloges-prev.singularlogic.eu/v2009/pages/index.html?lang=en|title=National elections, October 2009|publisher=Ministry of the Interior|access-date=28 March 2012}} The rival PASOK soared to 43.92% (up 5.82%), and took 160 seats (up 58). The 33.5% tally marked a historic low for the party since its founding in 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/04/greece-election-socialist_n_309085.html|title=Socialists Trounce Conservatives in Greek Elections|last=Becatoros|first=Elena|date=4 October 2009|work=The Huffington Post}} Karamanlis conceded defeat and stated that he would resign as a leader of New Democracy, and would not stand as a candidate at the next party election.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/05/pasok-wins-snap-greek-poll|title=Greek socialists achieve resounding win in snap election|last=Smith|first=Helena|date=5 October 2009|work=The Guardian }} Two former Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Dora Bakoyannis and Antonis Samaras, as well as Thessaloniki Prefect Panagiotis Psomiadis were announced as candidates,{{cite web|url=http://archive.ekathimerini.com/4Dcgi/4Dcgi/_w_articles_politics_11_28/11/2009_112865|title=ND heads for tense election showdown|date=28 November 2009|work=Kathimerini}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}} with Samaras being the favorite to win.{{cite web|url=http://archive.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_2_23/11/2009_112698|title=Samaras keeps lead in ND race|date=23 November 2009|work=Kathimerini|access-date=28 March 2012}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}

On 29 November 2009, Antonis Samaras was elected the new leader of New Democracy by the party base at the 2009 leadership election.{{cite news|url=http://www.tanea.gr/ellada/article/?aid=4548693|title=Καθαρή νίκη Σαμαρά (Clear victory of Samaras)|date=30 November 2009|work=Ta Nea|language=el |last1=Gr |first1=Tanea }} Following early results showing Samaras in the lead, his main rival Dora Bakoyannis conceded defeat and congratulated Samaras for his election;{{cite web|url=http://www.tanea.gr/ellada/article/?aid=4548471|title=Σαμαράς: "Νικήσαμε όλοι. Δεν υπάρχουν ηττημένοι" (Samaras: "We all won, there are no losers")|date=29 November 2009|work=Ta Nea|language=el}} later she left New Democracy to found her own party, Democratic Alliance. Samaras himself had also left New Democracy in 1992 because of his hard stance on the Macedonia naming dispute and found his own party, Political Spring; he returned to New Democracy in 2004.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-samaras-idUSTRE7A36D120111104|title=Greek opposition leader's U-turn opens path to power|last=Tagaris|first=Karolina|date=4 November 2011|work=Reuters}}

New Democracy was in opposition during the first phase (2009–11) of the Greek government debt crisis which included the First bailout package agreed in May 2010. The party did not support the first EU/IMF rescue package of May 2010 and the three related austerity packages of March 2010, May 2010 and June 2011.{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-03/06/c_13199087.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120214349/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-03/06/c_13199087.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 January 2011|title=Greek parliament approves bill with austerity measures despite protest|date=6 March 2010|publisher=Xinhua News Agency}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/may/06/greece-crisis-approves-austerity-measures|title=Greece approves sweeping austerity measures|last=Smith|first=Helena|date=6 May 2010|work=The Guardian }}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/01/world/europe/01greece.html|title=Greek Parliament Approves Implementation of Austerity Plan|last=Donadio|first=Rachel|author2=Kitsantonis, Niki |date=30 June 2011|work=The New York Times}} Further measures were agreed by prime minister George Papandreou with the EU and private banks and insurers on 27 October 2011. The aim was to complete negotiations by the end of the year and put in place a full Second bailout package to supplement the one agreed in May 2010.{{cite news |title=Eurozone leaders, bankers agree 50 pct haircut for Greece |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_27/10/2011_412098 |newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=27 October 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}} Samaras initially blasted the deal.{{cite news |title=Stocks up, but ND blasts debt deal|url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_27/10/2011_412191 |newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=27 October 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}} In reality New Democracy had dismissed cross-party agreement even before the deal was agreed.{{cite news |title=Cross-party support appears unlikely |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_25/10/2011_411903|newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=25 October 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}}

A few days later, Papandreou announced a surprise referendum.{{cite news |title=Papandreou calls for referendum on EU debt deal |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_31/10/2011_412595 |newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=31 October 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}} During the frantic negotiations that followed, Samaras offered to support the austerity package he had initially condemned if Papandreou resigned and an interim government be appointed to lead the country to elections early in the new year.{{cite news |title=Samaras: Our proposal is still on the table |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_05/11/2011_413425 |newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=5 November 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}}

The referendum was never held, and Papandreou resigned in early November 2011. New Democracy supported the new national unity government headed by Lucas Papademos; however the party's support for austerity appeared lukewarm at first.{{cite news |title=Samaras gives limited support to 'transitional' gov't |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_14/11/2011_414670 |newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=14 November 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}}{{cite news |title=Greece's politicians: In their own time |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/11/greeces-politicians |newspaper=The Economist |date=10 November 2011 |access-date=9 March 2012}}

File:Flickr - Πρωθυπουργός της Ελλάδας - Αντώνης Σαμαράς - 77η Διεθνής Έκθεση Θεσσαλονίκης.jpg in 2012]]

Within a few days, party officials spoke of "renegotiating" existing agreements with the EU and IMF.{{cite news |title=ND takes more offensive stance |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_29/11/2011_416986 |newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=29 November 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}} EU partners requested that Samaras sign a letter committing him to the terms of the rescue package, in what was seen as an effort to keep the nationalist elements of his party happy. Samaras argued that his word should be enough and that the demand for a written commitment was "humiliating".{{cite news |title=Samaras ousts MP over 'far-right' comments |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_14/11/2011_414720 |newspaper=Ekathimerini |date=14 November 2011 |access-date=10 March 2012}} Both Papademos and the EU insisted on a written commitment. New Democracy repeated its call for new elections.{{cite news |title=Greece's government: Divided they stand |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/11/greeces-government |newspaper=The Economist |date=16 November 2011 |access-date=9 March 2012}} Samaras was said to be infuriating European leaders by only partly backing the international reform programme.{{cite news |title=Charlemagne: Angela the lawgiver |url=http://www.economist.com/node/21546024 |newspaper=The Economist |date=4 February 2012 |access-date=9 March 2012}} A meeting of Eurozone's Finance Ministers was postponed in February 2012, when it became apparent that not all the main political parties were willing to pledge to honour the conditions demanded in return for the rescue package; a day later Samaras reversed course and wrote to the European Commission and IMF, promising to implement the austerity measures if his party were to win a general election in April.{{cite news |title=Greece and the euro: From tragedy to farce |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2012/02/greece-and-euro |newspaper=The Economist |date=15 February 2012 |access-date=9 March 2012}} German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble suggested postponing the election and setting up a small technocratic cabinet like Italy's to run Greece for the next two years.

In May 2012 general election, the New Democracy regained the largest party but could not obtain a majority. Anti-austerity leftist SYRIZA, led by Alexis Tsipras became the second largest party and refused to negotiate with New Democracy and PASOK. After the general election the New Democracy could not form a coalition government.

New Democracy during its rule introduced a strict immigration policy, and proposed strengthening this policy as part of its political agenda.{{cite news |author=Nick Malkoutzis |title=Is immigration a bigger issue for Greece than the economy? |newspaper=Kathimerini |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/140452/article/ekathimerini/comment/is-immigration-a-bigger-issue-for-greece-than-the-economy |date=30 March 2012 |access-date=15 May 2016}}

In its electoral campaign for the January 2015 legislative election, Samaras promised to continue with his plan to exit the bailout and return to growth by further privatizations, a corporate tax rate reduced to 15 percent and a recapitalization of Greece's banks.{{cite web|title=Elections 2015 Party Profiles|url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite3_1_21/01/2015_546418|date=21 January 2015|access-date=25 January 2015}} The party received a total of €747,214 of state funding, the largest share of all political parties in Greece.{{cite web|title=Elections 2015 Facts & Figures|url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite3_1_21/01/2015_546422|date=21 January 2015|access-date=25 January 2015}} In the election, ND was defeated by SYRIZA. On 5 July 2015 Samaras stepped down from party leadership.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pappaspost.com/greek-opposition-leader-antonis-samaras-resigns-as-new-democracy-head/|title=Greek Opposition Leader Antonis Samaras Resigns as New Democracy Head|last=Pappas|first=Gregory|date=2015-07-05|website=The Pappas Post|access-date=2019-02-14}}

New Democracy was once again defeated by SYRIZA in the September 2015 legislative election, but maintained its number of seats in the Hellenic Parliament. On 10 January 2016 Kyriakos Mitsotakis was elected as new party leader.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/10/kyriakos-mitsotakis-elected-as-leader-of-greek-centre-right-party|title=Kyriakos Mitsotakis elected as leader of Greek centre-right party|agency=Reuters|date=2016-01-10|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-02-14|issn=0261-3077}}

On 4 October 2018, the party adopted a new logo.{{Cite web|url=https://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/10/04/greeces-new-democracy-marks-44th-anniversary-launching-new-logo/|title=Greece's New Democracy Marks 44th Anniversary Launching New Logo {{!}} GreekReporter.com|last=Kampouris|first=Nick|date=4 October 2018|access-date=2019-02-14}}

In the 2019 legislative election, New Democracy won 158 seats in the 300-seat Hellenic Parliament, a majority of the seats,{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/mitsotakis-sworn-in-as-greek-prime-minister-after-resounding-win-1-4961520|title=Mitsotakis sworn in as Greek prime minister after resounding win|website=The Scotsman|date=8 July 2019}} enabling it to form a government on its own under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mitsotakis' efforts to deal with the prolonged lockdown in Greece received widespread praise from Greek and International press,{{Cite web|title=Greek PM rides high in opinion polls after one year in office|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/7/7/greek-pm-rides-high-in-opinion-polls-after-one-year-in-office|access-date=2021-04-25|publisher=Al Jazeera}}{{Cite news|date=2020-05-04|title=Coronavirus: Greece and Croatia acted fast, now need to save summer|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52491204|access-date=2021-04-25}}{{Cite web|title=Commentary: How Greece can reopen without ruining its coronavirus containment success|url=https://fortune.com/2020/05/26/greece-coronavirus-lockdown-reopening-tourism/|access-date=2021-04-25|website=Fortune}} analysts,{{Cite news|last=Says|first=陈伟明|date=2020-04-21|title=Greece in the Time of COVID-19: a chance to defend European ideals|url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/greeceatlse/2020/04/21/greece-in-the-time-of-covid-19-a-chance-to-defend-european-ideals/|access-date=2021-04-25|website=Greece@LSE}} and academics,{{Cite journal|last1=Moris|first1=Dimitrios|last2=Schizas|first2=Dimitrios|date=2020|title=Lockdown During COVID-19: The Greek Success|journal=In Vivo|volume=34|issue=3 suppl|pages=1695–1699|doi=10.21873/invivo.11963|pmid=32503831|pmc=8378029|issn=0258-851X|doi-access=free}} for the well-structured approach and continuous reliance on scientific expertise of the Greek pandemic task force, headed by Sotiris Tsiodras.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-14|title=How Greece is beating coronavirus despite a decade of debt|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/14/how-greece-is-beating-coronavirus-despite-a-decade-of-debt|access-date=2021-04-25|website=The Guardian}} In 2021, the country managed to keep the new cases of COVID-19 to low levels by enforcing back to back strict lockdowns in Athens and Thessaloniki, and enabling different emergency protocols for rural areas.{{Cite journal|last1=Politis|first1=Ioannis|last2=Georgiadis|first2=Georgios|last3=Nikolaidou|first3=Anastasia|last4=Kopsacheilis|first4=Aristomenis|last5=Fyrogenis|first5=Ioannis|last6=Sdoukopoulos|first6=Alexandros|last7=Verani|first7=Eleni|last8=Papadopoulos|first8=Efthymis|date=December 2021|title=Mapping travel behavior changes during the COVID-19 lock-down: a socioeconomic analysis in Greece|journal=European Transport Research Review|volume=13|issue=1|pages=21|doi=10.1186/s12544-021-00481-7|doi-access=free|pmid=38624727 |issn=1867-0717|pmc=7968570|bibcode=2021ETRR...13...21P }} At the same time the government focused on tackling the pandemic before the launch of the 2021 summer tourist season in an attempt to boost the country's economy.{{Cite news|date=2021-04-21|title=Greece Will Ease Main Lockdown Measures in Early May|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-21/greece-will-ease-main-lockdown-measures-in-early-may|access-date=2021-04-25}}{{Cite web|date=2021-03-09|title=Greece hopes to open to tourists from 14 May|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/09/greece-hopes-to-open-to-tourists-from-14-may|access-date=2021-04-25|website=The Guardian}}

During Mitsotakis's term as prime minister, he has received praise for his pro-European and technocratic governance,{{Cite news |title=How Greece became Europe's unlikely model student |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/05/22/how-greece-became-europes-unlikely-model-student |access-date=2022-12-21 |issn=0013-0613}} his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece,{{cite news |date=22 May 2021 |title=Charlemagne: How Greece became Europe's unlikely model student |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/05/22/how-greece-became-europes-unlikely-model-student |access-date=21 May 2021}}{{cite news |last=Seinti |first=Eva |date=26 February 2021 |title="Ελλάδα: πώς γίνεται ο εμβολιασμός χωρίς χάος": Νέα επαινετικά σχόλια από τα γερμανικά ΜΜΕ |language=Greek |work=CNN Greece |location=Athens |url=https://www.cnn.gr/kosmos/story/255982/ellada-pos-ginetai-o-emvoliasmos-xoris-xaos-nea-epainetika-sxolia-apo-ta-germanika-mme |access-date=21 May 2021}} and is credited with the modernization and digitalization of the country's public administration,{{Cite web |date=25 February 2021 |title=Pandemic, EU billions drive Greece's digital revolution |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-modernisation-idUSKBN2AP204 |access-date=22 May 2023 |website=Reuters}} as well as for his overall management of the Greek economy, with Greece being named the Top Economic Performer for 2022 and 2023 by The Economist.{{Cite web |last=Kokkinidis |first=Tasos |date=2022-12-21 |title=Greece Named Top Economic Performer for 2022 by the Economist |url=https://greekreporter.com/2022/12/21/greece-named-top-economic-performer-2022-economist/ |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=GreekReporter.com }}{{Cite web|date=2023-12-17 |title=Which economy did best in 2023? |url=https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/12/17/which-economy-did-best-in-2023 |website=Economist.com }} This was in particular due to Greece in 2022 being able to repay ahead of schedule the 2.7 billion euros ($2.87 billion) of loans owed to Eurozone countries under the first bailout it received during the decade-long debt crisis, along with being on the verge of reaching an investment-grade rating.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-15 |title=Greece repays euro zone bailout loans early for first time-source |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/greece-repays-euro-zone-bailout-loans-early-first-time-source-2022-12-15/ |access-date=2022-12-21}}{{Cite news |last1=Arnold |first1=Martin |last2=Varvitsioti |first2=Eleni |last3=McDougall |first3=Mary |date=2023-05-14 |title=Greece's 'greatest turnround': from junk to investment grade |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/fcef4f83-f8db-4059-ae9b-34c4c871cb41 |access-date=2023-05-21}} Mitsotakis has also received criticism, as during his term Greece experienced heightened corruption,{{cite web |date=22 August 2022 |title=The Rot at the Heart of Greece Is Now Clear for Everyone to See |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/22/opinion/greece-mitsotakis-predator-spyware.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=New York Times}}{{Cite web |last=Tsimitakis |first=Matthaios |date=2022-09-21 |title=Greek PM's Wiretapping Scandal Can't be Justified by Foreign Threats |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/09/21/greek-pms-wiretapping-scandal-cant-be-justified-by-foreign-threats/ |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=Balkan Insight }} and a deterioration of freedom of the press.{{cite web |date=8 August 2022 |title=How Greece became Europe's worst place for press freedom |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/greece-became-europe-worst-place-press-freedom/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Politico}}{{cite web |date=23 April 2022 |title=Greece: Media freedom under assault |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/4/23/greece-media-freedom-under-assault |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=AlJazeera}}{{cite web |date=15 May 2022 |title=The worrying decline of press freedom in Greece |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2022/05/15/the-worrying-decline-of-press-freedom-in-greece_5983579_4.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Le Monde}} His term was marred by the Novartis corruption scandal,{{cite web |date=21 February 2022 |title=Greek Prosecution of Novartis Reporters 'an Attempt to Terrorize Journalists' |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/02/21/greek-prosecution-of-novartis-reporters-an-attempt-to-terrorize-journalists/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=BIRN}}{{cite web |date=10 July 2022 |title=The unethical perpetrator |url=https://www.documentonews.gr/article/o-an-ithikos-aytoyrgos/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Documento}} the 2022 wiretapping scandal,{{cite web |date=30 August 2022 |title=Greek 'Watergate' tarnishes reputation of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2022/08/30/greek-watergate-tarnishes-reputation-of-prime-minister-kyriakos-mitsotakis_5995271_4.html |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Le Monde}} and the Tempi Train crash.{{Cite web |last=Ritchie |first=Eleni Giokos, Hannah |date=2023-03-05 |title=Greek protests over train crash flare despite prime minister's apology |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/05/europe/greek-prime-minister-apologizes-intl/index.html |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=CNN }} Additionally, he has received both praise and criticism for his handling of migration, including support and aid from the European Union,{{Cite web |date=2020-03-03 |title=Migration: EU praises Greece as 'shield' after Turkey opens border |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/03/migration-eu-praises-greece-as-shield-after-turkey-opens-border |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=The Guardian }} but criticism from journalists and activists for pushbacks, which his government has denied.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Helena |date=2023-05-19 |title=Greek government under fire after video shows 'pushback' of asylum seekers |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/19/greek-government-under-fire-after-video-shows-pushback-of-asylum-seekers |access-date=2023-05-21 |issn=0261-3077}}

In the May 2023 elections, the only election to use the purely proportional system introduced by SYRIZA in 2016, Mitsotakis led the party to achieve a plurality of the seats in parliament.{{cite news |last=Varvitsioti |first=Eleni |date=2023-05-21 |title=Greece premier Mitsotakis routs rivals in parliamentary election |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3813adf2-8531-47f8-b7b9-7a5e465167d3 |access-date=2023-05-21}} Soon after the results were announced, Mitsotakis called snap elections for the following month, with this election returning to the majority bonus system.{{Cite web |title=Greece is going to Early Elections at the End of June - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency |url=https://www.novinite.com/articles/220191/Greece+is+going+to+Early+Elections+at+the+End+of+June |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.novinite.com}}

New Democracy political position has been placed as centrist,{{Cite web |title=Can New Democracy be centrist? {{!}} eKathimerini.com |url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/opinion/1184138/can-new-democracy-be-centrist/amp/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=www.ekathimerini.com}} centre-right,{{Cite web|date=2019-07-08|title=Greek Centre-Right Party Wins Landslide Election Victory|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2019/07/08/greek-centre-right-party-wins-landslide-election-victory/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Balkan Insight}} with some far-right elements.{{Cite journal |last=Mylonas |first=Yiannis |date=2020 |title=Crisis, Authoritarian Neoliberalism, and the Return of "New Democracy" to power in Greece |url=https://stasisjournal.net/index.php/journal/article/view/180 |journal=Stasis |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=181–208 |doi=10.33280/2310-3817-21-10-2-181-208 |issn=2500-0721|doi-access=free }}{{Cite web |date=2021-09-11 |title=Greek government appoints right-wing extremist Athanasios Plevris as health minister |url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/09/11/gree-s11.html |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=World Socialist Web Site }}{{Cite web |title=Greece's 'New Democracy' Are On The Cusp Of Power, But They Are Anything But 'Moderates' |url=https://newsocialist.org.uk/greece-new-democracy-moderates/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=New Socialist }}{{Cite journal |last1=Verousi |first1=Christina |last2=Allen |first2=Chris |date=March 2021 |title=From Obscurity to National Limelight: The Dramatic Rise, Fall and Future Legacy of Golden Dawn |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20419058211000999 |journal=Political Insight |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=22–25 |doi=10.1177/20419058211000999 |issn=2041-9058}}{{Cite web |title=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/05/03/in-greece-the-far-right-continues-to-influence-politics_6025341_4.html: In Greece, the far right continues to influence politics |url=https://archive.today/https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/05/03/in-greece-the-far-right-continues-to-influence-politics_6025341_4.html |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=archive.ph}}{{Cite web |last=Samaras |first=Georgios |date=2023-05-02 |title=🌊 The normalisation of the far-right in Greek politics |url=https://theloop.ecpr.eu/the-normalisation-of-the-far-right-in-greek-politics/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=The Loop }} The main ideologies of the party have been described as liberal-conservative, or conservative-liberal,{{cite book |author=Jörg Arnold |chapter=Criminal Law as a Reaction to System Crime: Policy for Dealing with the Past in European Transitions |editor1=Jerzy W. Borejsza|editor2=Klaus Ziemer |title=Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes in Europe: Legacies and Lessons from the Twentieth Century |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=olpKYhgrS48C&pg=PA410 |year=2006 |publisher=Berghahn Books |isbn=1-57181-641-0 |page=410}} and Christian democratic,{{cite book|author=Lawrence Ezrow|chapter=Electoral systems and party responsiveness|editor1=Norman Schofield|editor2=Gonzalo Caballero|title=Political Economy of Institutions, Democracy and Voting|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-wthzLK6m8gC&pg=PA320|year=2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-3-642-19519-8|page=320}} with a pro-European stance.{{Cite web|title=Greece|url=https://europeelects.eu/greece/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Europe Elects}}

The Democratic Renewal Initiative – New Democracy Student Movement (Greek: {{Langx|el|Δημοκρατική Ανανεωτική Πρωτοπορία – Νέα Δημοκρατική Φοιτητική Κίνηση}}), abbreviated as "Δ.Α.Π.–Ν.Δ.Φ.Κ.", is the student wing of New Democracy.{{Cite web|url=https://nd.gr/onned|title=ΟΝΝΕΔ|date=4 October 2018 }} It was founded in 1976, after the merger of the Democratic Renewal Initiative and the New Democracy Student Movement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.onned.gr/organosi/istoria/|title=Ιστορία - ΟΝΝΕΔ}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dap.gr/istoria/|title=Ιστορία — ΔΑΠ-ΝΔΦΚ}}

As of June 2024, the Democratic Renewal Initiative - New Democracy Student Movement has secured the first place in yearly university elections 37 times nationwide.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-23 |title=Φοιτητικές εκλογές: Πρώτη η ΔΑΠ-ΝΔΦΚ για 37η χρονιά με 40,01% - Στο 98,8% η ενσωμάτωση |url=https://www.parapolitika.gr/politiki/article/1396362/foititikes-ekloges-proti-i-dap-ndfk-gia-37i-hronia-me-4001-sto-988-i-ensomatosi/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=www.parapolitika.gr |language=el}}{{Cite web |last=ertnews.gr |first=Συντακτική ομάδα |date=2024-05-22 |title=Φοιτητικές εκλογές 2024: Είμαστε πάλι πρώτοι για 37η φορά, λένε από την ΔΑΠ - ΝΔΦΚ |url=https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/foititikes-ekloges-2024-eimaste-pali-protoi-gia-37i-fora-lene-apo-tin-dap-ndfk/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=ertnews.gr |language=el}}{{Cite web |last=Group) |first=Radiotileoptiki S. A. (OPEN Digital |date=2024-05-23 |title=Φοιτητικές εκλογές: Διαφορετικά αποτελέσματα δίνουν ξανά ΠΚΣ και ΔΑΠ-ΝΔΦΚ |url=https://www.ethnos.gr/paideia/article/316347/foithtikeseklogesdiaforetikaapotelesmatadinoynxanapkskaidapndfk |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=ΕΘΝΟΣ |language=el}} Its first electoral victory is reported to have taken place in 1987, while its highest percentage (47%) was achieved in 1990.

Popular vote in Greek legislative elections

{{Graph:Chart

|width=1200

|height=125

|xAxisTitle=

|yAxisTitle=% of votes

|type=rect

|yAxisMax=80

|xAxisFormat=%

|x=Nov 1974,Nov 1977,Oct 1981,Jun 1985,Jun 1989,Nov 1989, Apr 1990,Oct 1993,Sep 1996,Apr 2000,Mar 2004,Sep 2007,Oct 2009,May 2012,Jun 2012,Jan 2015, Sep 2015,Jul 2019

|y=54.37,41.84,35.88,40.85,44.28,46.19,46.89,39.30,38.12,42.74,45.36,41.87,33.47,18.85,29.66,27.81,28.09,39.85

|colors=#1b5cc7

|showValues=offset:4

}}

^A 2004 results are compared to the combined totals for ND and POLAN totals in the 1999 election.

The traditional symbol of the party has been the freedom torch, incorporated in its logo, albeit in a stylized form in the logo adopted in 2018.

File:Nea Dimokratia First Logo.png|Party logo, 1978–2010

File:NDsign 1.png|Party logo, 2010–2018

File:Logo_of_the_New_Democracy_(Greece).svg |Current logo, since 2018

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