Deputy Finance Minister and New Democracy MP Dimitris Markopoulos signaled intensifying political dynamics on the centre-right, stating that former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has already decided to launch a new political party. Speaking on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, on the radio station Parapolitika 90.1, Markopoulos expressed confidence that such a move would not significantly alter electoral balances ahead of the next general elections—but would instead primarily affect the far-right political space.
A ‘Foundational Declaration’ at the Supreme Court
Markopoulos described Samaras’s recent appearance before Greece’s Supreme Court — in connection with the wiretapping scandal — as effectively a ‘founding declaration’ for his new political vehicle. “It is crystal clear that Antonis Samaras is creating a new party. His presence at the Areios Pagos was the founding declaration of his party,” he said, adding that no broad realignment of the centre-right is expected. Rather, he predicted shifts within the hard-right segment of the political spectrum.
He went further, suggesting that any new party led by Samaras would likely impact other political formations more than New Democracy itself. “My assessment is that, for example, the Voice of Reason party will not enter Parliament because of Samaras’s party,” he noted.
Criticism of Tsipras’s Self-Criticism
Markopoulos also addressed recent statements by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, saying he had long anticipated Tsipras’s attempt to restructure the left-wing political landscape. He argued that Tsipras’s current public self-criticism reflects an awareness that a ‘sterile opposition’ to New Democracy is no longer viable.
Yet Markopoulos questioned the substance of Tsipras’s mea culpa, urging him to clarify precisely which policy decisions he now regrets. “Mr. Tsipras cannot point fingers at us over the Katrougalos Law,” he remarked, referring to controversial legislation passed under the SYRIZA-led government. He added that in his recent speech on Ithaca, Tsipras chose to assign blame to individuals rather than accept political responsibility for decisions made during his administration.
Defending Georgiadis
Markopoulos defended Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis amid renewed political tension sparked by Georgiadis’s references to Tsipras during a recent exchange. He clarified that Georgiadis had cited public statements made by former Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis — and pointed out that Tsipras had taken no legal action against those remarks.
Markopoulos also cast doubt on several legislative initiatives from the SYRIZA government period, claiming that some carry ‘the stench of scandals’.