By Antonis Anzoletou

Political leaders traditionally curate the state ballot themselves. It is the list that has exclusively their own seal and they are the “mirror” of the party in every election. It is made up of persons who either have a particular political path or have distinguished themselves in their scientific or work career.

In July 2019, Panagiotis Pikramenos, the late Marietta Giannakou, George Gerapetritis, Takis Theodorikakos and Christos Tarantilis had won the ticket for Parliament in July 2019 for New Democracy. From SYRIZA, Vassilis Vasilikos, Efi Ahtsioglou, Panos Skourletis and Alekos Flambouraris were the elected four. PASOK was represented in the honor list by Giorgos Kaminis, who has announced that he will not be a candidate again.

For the State ballot of May 21 o Prime Minister he has not yet opened his papers and continues to make contacts in order to conclude. It is estimated that the only sure name at the moment for the first positions is that of the Deputy Minister of Finance, Theodoros Skylakakis. He was in sixth place in 2019. The Minister of Civil Protection Christos Stylianidis is likely to be in the running for election. The names of Mina Gaga and Sofia Bekatorou have also reportedly been put on the table without garnering many chances.

To SYRIZA Harvard medicine professor Othonas Iliopoulos seems to be the person who will represent the diaspora on the State ballot. Well-informed sources say that Evangelos Apostolakis has “locked in” for the top four, while the press representative, i.e. Popi Tsapanidou, is expected to complete the list. It is considered certain that a woman will be placed in an elected position and several discussions have taken place about whether Lt. General Zaharoula Tsirigoti will eventually participate. She is one of the president’s key advisers on issues related to immigration and Mr. Tsipras is reportedly counting on her assistance if SYRIZA takes power.

The names that will make up her ballot New Republic nationwide are expected to be announced in the coming days. The majority of them have locked up and according to information, there is still one meeting between Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the group that has undertaken their formation (Yiannis Bratakos, Pavlos Marinakis, Thanasis Nezis). The goal for the blue faction is for candidates to go to their districts for Easter officially anointed.
In SYRIZA they also want to run the procedures. About 100 names remain to be announced of which the vast majority are locked. They move to the rhythm of the Central Committee which will be convened next weekend. At the meeting, Alexis Tsipras will announce the start of the election campaign for the official opposition. In relation to the nomenclature, the possibility of placing Athena Linou on the State ballot has been closed and the professor of Medicine will finally enter the battle of the cross, according to well-informed sources. Dora Tsampazis, wife of the late Olympian, seems to have locked in for A’ Thessaloniki.