ATHENS – Russia’s invasion of Ukaine has pushed some of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ advisors to urge him to call early elections to take advantage of his stance opposing Russia, but he was said to reject it.

Mitsotakis has repeatedly resisted any idea of calling snap polls before his New Democracy government’s term ends in July, 2023, including from the major opposition SYRIZA which has criticized his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy.

Polls constantly show that Mitsotakis holds leads up to 10-14 percent despite the relentless sniping from his rivals which have failed to make a dent, the premier also holding a big advantage over the leftist leader Alexis Tsipras directly.

Some advisers want the prime minister to call elections before the summer, especially because of the Ukraine crisis or in case there is another natural disaster in the summer or Turkey steps up provocations, said Kathimerini.

But some also said he should call for the elections this autumn because goverments tend not to be productive in the immediate run-up to polls, said Kathimerini about the inner-party debate.

Mitsotakis though said he’s also waiting for the effect of huge loans and grants from the European Union to deal with the pandemic and other bloc programs providing subsidies that voters tend to see as government handouts.