Greece calls general election after train disaster that killed 57

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during an EU Summit. AFP

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called a general election on May 21 amid mounting anger over last month’s train disaster that left 57 people dead and affected his party’s long-standing majority in opinion polls.

The accident on February 28 stirred public outcry, slashing the lead of the conservative New Democracy party by about half to 4 points over its left-wing main rival, Syriza.

“The country needs clear skies … our work continues more boldly and with fewer compromises,” said Mr Mitsotakis, a New Democracy member, during a televised Cabinet meeting.

Mr Mitsotakis, the 55-year-old son of the late former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, has been popular throughout most of his four-year term.

But his reputation has been dented recently by allegations of wiretapping by state security services, as well as the government’s failure to protect rail network safety.

The election is unlikely to produce a new government.

Earlier this month, Mr Mitsotakis sought forgiveness for the disaster. “As prime minister, I owe it to everyone, but especially to the victims’ relatives, [to ask for] forgiveness,” he said in a message addressed to the nation.

“For the Greece of 2023, two trains heading in different directions cannot run on the same line and no one notices,” Mr Mitsotakis wrote on Facebook.

The station master on duty during Greece’s worst train accident has been charged over his role in the “death of a large number of people”.