Former PM Samaras launches fierce attack on Mitsotakis, hints at new party

Former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has launched a blistering attack on current leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accusing him of turning the ruling New Democracy (ND) party into a “company” driven by power rather than principles, while leaving open the possibility of forming a new political movement.

In an interview with ANT1 TV, Samaras said he felt a “sense of national duty” and would decide his next political move carefully.

“I will decide calmly,” he said. “Whatever my decision, I will explain it to my only constant ally for nearly 50 years — the Greek people.”

“New Democracy now operates like a company”

Samaras accused Mitsotakis of stripping the party of its ideological roots.

“They want a party with an owner — one that only cares about staying in power,” he said. “They look at numbers, not people or ideas.”

He charged that Mitsotakis governs out of “personal ambition” and “disdain for the party’s right-wing history,” calling New Democracy “a blue version of socialist PASOK.”

Arrogance and institutional disrespect

The former premier also accused Mitsotakis of arrogance in Parliament, citing incidents where the prime minister allegedly dismissed rivals or made disrespectful remarks.
“These are signs of arrogance and contempt for institutions,” Samaras said.

Reaction to his expulsion

Addressing his recent expulsion from ND, Samaras called it “unprecedented” and politically motivated.

“He expelled a former prime minister before the interview that caused it had even been published,” he said, noting that others accused of scandals were treated more leniently.

Criticism of foreign policy and ministers

Samaras renewed his call for Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis to be dismissed, saying his conduct was “unacceptable” and mocking his self-description as a “philhellene.”

He also faulted the government for “failures” on the economy, migration, and rising living costs, claiming it has “lost touch with the Greek people.”

While stopping short of a formal announcement, Samaras’s remarks have intensified speculation about a potential split within Greece’s center-right, threatening to reshape the country’s conservative political landscape.