Greeks head to the polls today, Sunday, for the second time to elect a new parliament, as conservatives aim for victory and to bring former Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis back to office. Voting centers opened at 7 a.m. across Greece and will close after 12 hours. Mitsotakis' New Democracy party won the elections held on May 21 by a margin of 20 points over the leftist Syriza party, which governed Greece from 2015 to 2019. However, it did not secure the absolute majority needed to govern without forming a coalition, necessitating a second round of voting under different rules that facilitate the winning party in gaining a majority in the 300-seat parliament.
Recent polls have shown New Democracy garnering over 40% of the votes, while the Syriza party, led by Alexis Tsipras, secured second place with around 20%.
The elections today take place against the backdrop of a migrant shipwreck incident on June 14, during which Mitsotakis stated that "the wicked human traffickers" are responsible for the tragedy, praising the coast guard's efforts to rescue survivors.
