Mitsotakis' government of surprises: all the names and the task force

A raging backstage telephone communications was going on last week, before the polls closed, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis crossing out and writing down names of his future ministers. According to reports, the surprises do not stop at the composition of the new cabinet, but also at the people who will form the task force within the Maximou.

The most striking, perhaps, is the entry of Makis Voridis in the role of Minister of State, responsible for legislative work and, in particular, the bills in preparation that the government plans to promote, based in the building on Zalokosta Street, where the former base of the former vice-president of the government, Panos Pikramenos, was.

Two more state ministers will be part of the staff team at Megaro Maximou. With a strong role Stavros Papastavrou, flanked by Akis Skertsos.

The team of the so-called "bodyguards" of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is completed by the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Yannis Bratakos, Pavlos Marinakis in the role of government representative, while the so-called "morning coffee" will include both the Director of the Press Office Dimitris Tsiodras and the Director of Communications Kira Kapi.

From the inauguration to... Erdogan

With the swearing-in of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, today at noon, before the President of the Republic, the countdown officially begins for the announcement of the new government in the afternoon of the same day. The ministers will pass through the door of the Presidential Palace tomorrow for the scheduled swearing-in ceremony and on Wednesday 28/6 they will officially take office with the traditional handover ceremonies by the caretaker ministers.

For Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister's agenda starts on Thursday 29/6 with his participation in the two-day European Union Summit. The baton is passed to parliamentary procedures, with the swearing-in of the new Parliament on Monday 3/7 and the election of the Speaker the following day.

The reading of the Prime Minister's programme statements on Thursday 6/7 will be a sign of the new government, up to the vote after the three-day debate on the vote of confidence. The Prime Minister's second trip out of the country will take place on Sunday 9/7 to attend the NATO summit, where a possible one-on-one with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan remains open.

Last-minute phone calls about the government shape

With the self-reliance he was seeking in his hands, Mitsotakis is reportedly ready to proceed with what he had announced during the pre-election campaign, a sweeping "rotation" of ministerial posts, with a strong presence of women - mainly in deputy and deputy minister positions - and significant surprises in his final choices.

According to the same information, the Prime Minister's choices in the ministerial benches will also be sweeping. At the Foreign Ministry, George Gerapetritis is moving from the Maximou building to head Greek diplomacy, replacing Nikos Dendias, who is taking over as the new Minister of National Defence, leaving Nikos Panagiotopoulos out of the picture.

The new "tsar" of the Greek economy will be Kostis Hatzidakis, with Nikos Papathanasis as deputy minister and Christos Staikouras heading for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

In a new post we will also see the former Minister of Education Niki Kerameos, who takes over the Ministry of Interior - in view of the local elections - with Theodoros Livanios as deputy minister.

The portfolio of National Education and Religious Affairs is taken by Kyriakos Pierrakakis, with Yannis Economou at his side as the new Deputy Minister of Sports, integrated into the Education sector, and his predecessor Lefteris Avgenakis becoming the new Minister of Rural Development and Food.

For the difficult task of reforming public health, the prime minister nominates Michalis Chrysochoidis, putting a woman next to him, Irini Agapidakis, as deputy minister.

Notis Mitarakis is heading to the "hot" Ministry of Citizen Protection, while Adonis Georgiades from the Ministry of Development is moving to the Ministry of Labour, with Kostas Skrekas filling the vacancy in the building at Syntagma Square.

A person who has identified his name with local government and digital transformation is expected to head the Ministry of Digital Governance. Dimitris Papastergiou, president of the KEDE and mayor of the city of Trikala, received the call from Mitsotakis and agreed to join the new government.

According to the same information, the Prime Minister has reserved the Ministry of Environment and Energy for Theodoros Skylakakis, while Miltiadis Varvitsiotis will take over the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy.

Vassilis Kikilias remains - barring an unforeseen eventuality - in the new line-up, taking over the Ministry of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection. Dimitris Kairidis is expected to be appointed to the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum.

A real thriller has turned into a real thriller to fill the position of minister in the Justice sector, with reports putting former PASOK minister George Floridis as the favourite.

Olga Kefalogianni also seems to secure a place in the government as Minister of Tourism, while Sofia Zacharaki will be the new minister in the newly created Ministry of Family and Social Cohesion. Finally, Lina Mendoni appears unchanged in the Ministry of Culture.