The decision by Maria Karystianou – a mother who lost her daughter in Greece’s deadliest rail disaster – to enter politics is reshaping an already volatile political landscape as the country heads towards elections in 2027, the same year it will assume the EU’s rotating presidency.
Karystianou, a 53-year-old paediatrician, rose to prominence after founding a group representing families of victims of the 2023 train crash that killed 57 people, mostly young adults. The disaster triggered mass protests in Greece and across Europe, with demonstrators demanding accountability from ministers and senior officials.
Her entrance comes at a delicate moment for Greek politics. National parliamentary elections must be held by March 2027, just months before Greece takes over the EU Council presidency in July. That timeline complicates Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s stated intention to serve a full term.
While Mitsotakis’ centre-right New Democracy party continues to lead opinion polls, current figures suggest it is unlikely to secure an outright majority, making a coalition government increasingly probable.
Karystianou’s appeal cuts across traditional party lines. Recent polling suggests her party could draw support from both left- and right-wing voters, adding to the uncertainty. That will be particularly true if former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras launches a new political movement in the spring, as has been rumoured in Athens.
No one should feel comfortable
A poll in the Greek journal Political places a Karystianou-led party second with 14.5%, behind the ruling New Democracy on 23.9%. The race for third place is tighter, with socialist Pasok at 10.5% and a potential Tsipras party at 10%.
Karystianou has insisted that she will not cooperate with existing politicians and that her party will not adopt a specific ideological orientation, instead focusing on fighting against corruption.
However, her lawyer and close associate, Maria Gratsia, ran in the 2023 elections as a candidate for Niki, a party known for its close ties to the Greek Orthodox Church. The link has prompted unease among conservative parties, although New Democracy has largely refrained from public comment. Some party figures, however, have accused Karystianou of instrumentalising her personal tragedy.
Others in New Democracy said they can see the political risk.
“Karystianou’s movement is an anti-establishment, morally charged initiative born from a demand for justice,” a high-ranking New Democracy lawmaker told Euractiv on condition of anonymity.
The lawmaker said Karystianou’s personal profile is her main asset, but warned the movement must move beyond a single-issue platform to remain viable, combining political credibility with governing capacity.
“Her move will put pressure on the political system,” the lawmaker added.
Left-wing parties, however, may also be vulnerable. Leftist Syriza MEP Kostas Arvanitis said Karystianou, as the head of the association representing the families of the victims, “embodied the national trauma and expressed a collective sentiment.”
“As a political actor, however, she creates a different set of conditions. It remains to be seen how this will be reflected in opinion polls and in the political discourse on the dominant issues,” he told Euractiv.
Tsipras eyes socialist votes
Meanwhile, Tsipras’ potential return could further reshuffle the cards in the Greek left. Both he and his former party, Syriza, have long promoted the idea of a progressive governing alliance, but the Socialists (Pasok) have ruled out cooperation.
Pasok leader Nikos Androulakis has struggled to push the party beyond 10–12% in polls and was among the first targets of a wiretapping scandal involving Greece’s intelligence services.
Tsipras is currently touring the country to promote his book, seemingly aiming to court socialist voters. At his book presentation in Thessaloniki on 17 January, the keynote speaker will be Antonis Saulidis, a senior Pasok figure.
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