Antonis Samaras launches new party, poll shows 2‑5% support in Greece

Former Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras, now 75, has founded a new political party. The initiative is described as being guided by a close circle linked to the Mitsotakis family. Early polling by Pulse (9 July) puts the party’s support between 2.5 % and 4 % of the electorate, with a peak of about 5 % among respondents who say they would definitely vote for it.

Analysts note that Samaras previously founded the “Political Spring” party in 1993, which secured 4.9 % of the vote and contributed to a loss for New Democracy (ND). The new formation is expected to draw a modest share of votes from ND’s right‑wing base as well as from newer right‑leaning groups such as Elpida and the Greek Solution. ND currently leads the poll at 46.1 % and holds a comfortable parliamentary majority, but the emergence of a Samaras‑led party could affect coalition calculations and raise the prospect of a second election if it hampers the governing party’s ability to form a stable government.