ATHENS — Greeks are furious, but politically stranded. Years of scandals, mismanagement, and public outrage have left Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party deeply unpopular. Yet despite mass protests, damning headlines, and a long list of grievances — from wiretapping scandals to deadly infrastructure failures — the ruling conservatives continue to lead the polls.
Why? Because no one else seems capable of taking their place.
The Greek opposition is fragmented and flailing. The once-powerful Syriza party remains in freefall, splintered after successive defeats and leadership turmoil. The center-left PASOK can’t find momentum. Meanwhile, a crowd of smaller left- and right-wing factions spend more energy attacking each other than the government.
This fractured landscape leaves millions of frustrated voters politically homeless. “We protested in the streets,” said one demonstrator in Athens. “But when I look at the ballot, I see no one I trust.”
New Democracy doesn’t win because it inspires hope — it wins because the rest inspire even less.
Unless the opposition can unite around a credible vision for change, Greeks may keep voting for a party they resent — simply because it’s the only one that looks remotely stable.
