Varvara Mitliagka, who run a campaign as an independent, won the city of Serres from the first reound, becoming the first woman to occupy Serres’ mayorship. A mother of two young children, Mitliagka defeated the incumbent mayor, Alexandros Chrysafis, whose tenured disappointed the city’s voters.
Mitliagka served as a local councilor since 2019, and emerged as a natural leader in the city’s council, building strong personal political capital. Notably, Miltiagka’s father is, Zisis Mitliagkas, was had also served as a mayor of Serres for two terms, from 1990 to 1994, and from 1998 to 2002.
Mitliagka’s marginal victory is a shadow win for PASOK, which supported her candidacy – unofficially – and a defeat for ND, which supported Chrysafis – again unofficially. ND’s candidates usually dominate all levels of politics in Serres, as ND’s founder, Konstantinos Karamanlis, was a born and bred local. Yet Mitliagkas election is – undoubtedly – a win for Greek progressives, as the undeniably conservative electorate, voted in favour of a female social-democrat.
