In Greece, ruling party loses in second round of local elections; 3 major cities fall to opposition

Climate activists blocked airplanes this time: Flights canceled at the airport!

The victory of opposition candidates in the mayorships of the capital Athens, Thessaloniki and the third-largest city of Patras has been called a "red flag" by the government of Mitsotakis, the winner of last June's general elections. in the Athens mayoral elections.

In the mayoral elections in Athens, Haris Doukas, supported by the socialist opposition party PASOK, won against the "favorite candidate" Kostas Bakoyannis, the nephew of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and former mayor, supported by the ruling New Democracy Party (NDP).

Thessaloniki was won by PASOK candidate Stelios Angeloudis and Patras by the Communist Party candidate Kostas Pelekides.

"Tonight's results have not been a good night for the YDP," Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis said in a brief statement after the election results were finalized.

PASOK MP and former Prime Minister Yorgos Papandreou's suggestion that the main opposition SYRIZA and the third party socialist PASOK should merge while evaluating the election results sparked political debates.

Papandreou's suggestion that "the two opposition parties should unite" was based on the fact that SYRIZA and PASOK won the mayorships in three major cities with the joint votes of SYRIZA and PASOK voters.