The Greek party that rose from the ashes of a military dictatorship

Health · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis, New Democracy emerged during Greece's transition from military rule to democracy. While its roots trace back to the early 20th-century People’s Party, its modern identity was forged through a decisive rejection of the monarchy and a commitment to European integration.

New Democracy (ND) was established in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis, the leader who oversaw Greece's shift from a military dictatorship back to democratic governance. The party's early success was significant; in the first post-coup elections in November 1974, ND secured a massive majority, winning nearly three-quarters of the parliamentary seats. This political momentum was bolstered by Karamanlis's prestige as the architect of the restoration of democracy. The party's direct predecessor was the National Radical Union, which was established in 1955 but later dissolved when the military seized power in 1967.

The party's ideological foundations are characterized by economic liberalization, including privatization and lower taxes, alongside a staunch commitment to Western orientation, NATO, and the European Union. Historically, the party's platform marked a departure from traditional Greek conservatism; during the 1974 referendum, New Democracy refused to support a constitutional monarchy or King Constantine II, effectively helping to transition the nation toward a republic. In 1975, the party utilized its large parliamentary majority to implement a revised constitution that increased the powers of the presidency.

The party's history is marked by intense competition with the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and periods of both dominance and decline. While Karamanlis led the party until his presidency in 1980, subsequent leaders like Georgios Rallis, Konstantinos Mitsotakis, and Kostas Karamanlis navigated various eras of Greek politics. The party has faced significant challenges, including the 2007 forest fires and the European sovereign debt crisis, yet it has periodically returned to power, most recently under Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who led the party to victory in 2019 and 2023. The party's leadership has seen a generational shift, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the son of Konstantinos Mitsotakis, leading the group to victory in 2019. In the June 2023 elections, he secured an absolute parliamentary majority after previously winning the May polls.

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