European commissioner nominee pick signals Greece’s rightward turn – POLITICO

ATHENS — Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is making a strategic move to reinforce his political base by selecting a hardliner for the next European Commissioner. This decision reflects a notable rightward shift in his administration, particularly in light of his stance on national identity issues, including the contentious name dispute with North Macedonia. Political analysts, such as George Siakas from the Democritus University of Thrace, suggest that this choice symbolizes Mitsotakis's intent to strengthen ties with the right wing of his party. The selected candidate, Tzitzikostas, has a history of abstaining from agreements aimed at improving conditions for asylum seekers during the 2016 migration crisis. He identifies as a center-right politician and cites his European experience, including his presidency of the European Committee of the Regions, as key to his selection. Despite his claims of moderation, his past actions raise questions about his alignment with more extreme right-wing sentiments. Following a disappointing performance in the recent European elections, where New Democracy garnered only 28.3% of the vote, Mitsotakis has attempted to appease conservative voters through cabinet reshuffles. Analysts argue that these changes are more about communication than a genuine shift in policy direction, as exit polls indicate that more voters defected to the left than to the right. Tzitzikostas's long-standing opposition to the Greece-North Macedonia agreement further underscores the potential for a new political dynamic, with speculation about his possible defection to form a new right-wing party, which could attract fringe voters.