Greece’s ruling center-right party, New Democracy, is wrapping up its pre-congress proceedings in Thessaloniki ahead of its 16th Regular Congress, scheduled for May 15–17, 2026, at the Metropolitan Expo exhibition center.

The Thessaloniki pre-congress, themed “Strong Greece,” will take place Saturday, May 9, at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition and Conference Center (Pavilion 10), starting at 11:30 a.m. Prime Minister and New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be in attendance.

Participants will include members of parliament from the Central and Western Macedonia regions, local party officials, senior representatives of the party’s central administration, and members of ONNED — New Democracy’s youth wing.

The session will open with addresses by Foreign Affairs Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, National Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, and Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou. European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas will then take the floor, followed by the closing address by Prime Minister Mitsotakis.