Political rift escalates between Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Antonis Samaras

A public political conflict has erupted between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras following the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) held on September 6, 2026. The tension escalated after Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated during a press conference that Samaras possesses the expertise to harm the New Democracy party and urged him to consider his legacy.

Former Prime Minister Samaras responded immediately with a sharp video statement, asserting that the party's membership, not the Mitsotakis family, decides who possesses the expertise to cause harm. He reminded the public of his 2009 election by 800,000 voters and accused the current government of failing the middle class, farmers, and the broader populace through policies ranging from economic hardships and corruption to mismanagement of national issues like the Tempi incident and illegal migration. Samaras concluded by labeling the current administration as the party of Mitsotakis rather than the party of the people.

This exchange reflects a deepening internal division within the ruling New Democracy party, marking an open political confrontation between the current leadership and the former leader. There are currently no indications of reconciliation, with both sides continuing to exchange critical statements regarding governance, ideology, and party legacy.