Samaras says expulsion from ND was ‘pre-decided’
Former conservative prime minister and lawmaker Antonis Samaras has responded to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ decision to expel him from New Democracy’s parliamentary group, describing his removal as “pre-decided.”
“All the things I mentioned in my interview, I have said many times before. Obviously, my expulsion was pre-decided,” Samaras told Antenna TV late Monday.
Samaras made the remark while in the United States for a fundraising event organized by Columbia University. In a Sunday interview with To Vima newspaper, he had called for the ouster of Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis over his handling of negotiations with Turkiye.
This was not the first time Samaras had criticized the administration’s approach to Turkiye, which he has denounced as appeasement. He has also repeatedly condemned policies he perceives as overly “centrist” or “woke,” particularly the decision to legalize same-sex marriage earlier this year.
When asked on Antenna TV about rumors of him forming a new political party, Samaras declined to comment.
On Tuesday, New Democracy’s ethics committee formally endorsed Mitsotakis’ decision, which is expected to be submitted to the parliament speaker on Wednesday.
Kathimerini
