Greek Ruling Party Calls for Protests After Firebomb Kills Candidate’s Mother

Greece’s governing New Democracy party has called on its supporters to stage public demonstrations after the mother of one of its parliamentary candidates died from injuries sustained in a coordinated firebomb attack, an incident that has intensified concerns over political violence in the country.

The victim, Vagia Nestora, 72, died from multiple organ failure after suffering burns over approximately 80% of her body in one of three pre-dawn attacks that targeted the homes of local New Democracy officials in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Her daughter, parliamentary candidate Afroditi Nestora, also suffered burns, while three other people were injured in the explosions.

According to police, unknown attackers placed flaming gas canisters outside three residential buildings linked to members of the governing party before dawn on Tuesday. The first two attacks caused property damage, while the third ignited vehicles and spread flames that injured residents inside the apartment building. Authorities believe the attacks were coordinated and are reviewing surveillance footage as part of an extensive investigation.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, the case has been handed to Greece’s anti-terrorism unit because investigators suspect the incidents were politically motivated. Officials say this is the first fatal attack targeting Greek politicians in more than a decade, marking a significant escalation in the country’s history of political violence.

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis condemned the attacks as “a cowardly act of terrorism,” accusing extremist elements of attempting to intimidate political opponents through violence. He vowed that the government would not allow terrorism to undermine Greece’s democratic institutions, declaring that “terrorism will not win” and insisting that citizens should not be afraid.

The New Democracy party and its youth organization, ONNED, announced a public rally outside the hospital where Vagia Nestora died. Party leaders urged supporters to attend the demonstration to honor the victim and send a message rejecting political extremism and violence. In a statement, the party declared that its members remain “united against terrorism” and would not be intimidated by such attacks.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who also leads New Democracy, visited the injured following the attacks and condemned what he described as “blind violence in public life.” He pledged that those responsible would be brought to justice and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to combating extremist violence.

Greece has experienced decades of politically motivated bombings and arson attacks, particularly during the late 20th century. While such incidents have continued sporadically in recent years, they have largely resulted in property damage rather than fatalities. The death of Vagia Nestora has therefore shocked the country and revived concerns about a resurgence of politically motivated violence.

Investigators continue to gather forensic evidence and analyze security camera footage in an effort to identify those responsible. As Greece mourns the victim, political leaders across the spectrum have called for unity and restraint, emphasizing that democratic disagreements must never be settled through violence. The outcome of the investigation is expected to remain under close public scrutiny in the coming days.