The Greek government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is facing intensified scrutiny over its stability and ethical conduct following an unrelenting series of scandals that have prompted the resignation or dismissal of over 30 ministers, deputies, and high-ranking officials during its tenure. The latest affair, involving allegations of patronage within the agricultural payment organization OPEKEPE, has once again thrown the administration's persistent struggles with accountability into sharp relief.
This pattern of high-profile departures has fostered a perception of a "revolving door" at the heart of the Greek government. According to a recent report by the newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton, the administration has lost an official approximately every two months. The OPEKEPE scandal alone precipitated a cascade of exits, including those of senior minister Makis Voridis, three deputy ministers, and a general secretary, all of whom were implicated in a case file concerning alleged patronage.
This is far from the only crisis to have shaken the administration. One of the most damaging episodes was the "Predatorgate" wiretapping scandal, which implicated the Prime Minister's inner circle. The affair led to the resignation of his nephew and chief of staff, Grigoris Dimitriadis, as well as the head of the National Intelligence Service (EYP), Panagiotis Kontoleon. The scandal, which involved the use of illegal spyware against journalists and political figures, eroded the government's credibility and raised serious questions about its commitment to the rule of law.
Public tragedies have also led to increased accountability, most notably the 2023 Tempi (Tempe) train disaster. The tragedy, which claimed 57 lives, prompted the immediate resignation of Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, who accepted political responsibility. More recently, Deputy Minister Christos Triantopoulos stepped down ahead of a parliamentary inquiry into the alleged tampering with the crash site.
Other resignations have stemmed from a wide range of misconduct. The leak of expatriate voter emails to a Member of the European Parliament led to the withdrawal of the MEP, Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, and the resignations of two officials. Former ministers Notis Mitarakis and Miltiadis Varvitsiotis stepped down amid public outcry for vacationing during devastating wildfires and for making controversial remarks following a passenger's death at the Port of Piraeus, respectively. Cases of financial impropriety and conflicts of interest have further lengthened the list of departures, fueling opposition claims that the government is plagued by systemic corruption and a lack of oversight.
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