Conservatives face re-election battle in Greek vote

(19 May 2023) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4435335 RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Volos – May 11, 2023 1. Wide of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at campaign rally 2. Supporters waving New Democracy party flags 3. Mitsotakis greeting supporters HEADLINE: Conservatives face re-election battle in Greek vote ANNOTATION: Greece’s conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is facing a tough re-election battle in a national vote on May 21. ASSOCIATED PRESS Athens – May 18, 2023 4. Various of New Democracy campaign kiosk on Syntagma Square with Parliament in background ANNOTATION: Polls suggest the center-right New Democracy party has a strong lead but may not be able to form a government and could call a fresh election in July. 5. Various of downtown shopping street ANNOTATION: The elections are being held after international bailout lenders lifted strict spending controls, but many Greeks are still under financial strain. ASSOCIATED PRESS Athens – May 17, 2023 6. View of central Athens from taxi 7. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Christina Messari, Taxi driver: “We do have work and things are improving but we have more expenses, and everything is more expensive. The last four years have been like looking at a heart monitor." 8. Various of campaign kiosk in central Athens for the left-wing opposition party Syriza, featuring a poster of opposition leader and former prime minister, Alexis Tsipras ANNOTATION: The opposition is led by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras who wants to form a broad center-left coalition, seeking a boost from younger voters. 9. Various of workers packing ballots at a warehouse of the regional authority in greater Athens to to be delivered to polling stations ANNOTATION: Opinion polls indicate that no clear majority is expected to emerge in the next 300-seat parliament. STORYLINE: Greeks will head to the polls on Sunday to elect a leader who will have more control over the country’s economy for the first time in over a decade. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the 55-year-old conservative frontrunner who delivered better than expected economic growth and reduced unemployment, is seeking a second term after the end of austere spending controls imposed by international bailout lenders. His re-election, once thought of as posing little challenge, is now clouded in uncertainty following a deadly rail disaster three months ago. Observers expect a second election in July when the voting system will change back to a system that favours the winning party with a so-called seat bonus in parliament. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/82446ed7602a4a36853c44c2c7343561