Politics

The annual New Year’s Day coffee in central Athens is usually a low-key but symbolically charged moment in Greek political life: a chance for senior political leaders to exchange views away from formal settings. This year’s gathering in Kolonaki, however, included an unexpected personal revelation from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.According to those present, Mitsotakis shared that his son, Konstantinos, has proposed marriage to his partner, Maria Sakkari, one of Greece’s most prominent professional tennis players. The wedding is planned for 2027.The prime minister spoke warmly about his future daughter-in-law, describing her as an exceptional young woman and saying he is very happy about the engagement. He also noted a personal coincidence: his son will be 28 at the time of the weddi...

Greek farmers plan to escalate nationwide protests with a 48-hour blockade of major roads and border customs points on Thursday and Friday, as the stalemate continues between the protesters and the Greek government, following a decision taken at a national assembly of agricultural unions in Malgara, northern Greece.Representatives of farmers’ roadblocks said traffic disruptions would target key transport corridors, including Malgara, Tempi, Siatista, Bralos, Tripoli, and the Rio–Antirrio bridge, while freight traffic will be halted at customs checkpoints along Greece’s borders.Representatives from over 50 protest groups attended the meeting. Today marked 35 days since tractors were first deployed at strategic points across Greece’s road network and border crossings.Farmers said the protest...

“Absolutely at your disposal” was the message delivered by Greek Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias during his meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, as the region faces escalating turmoil and repeated drone strikes targeting British bases in Akrotiri.Dendias emphasized that he had come to convey the backing of the Greek Prime Minister, the government, and the entire Greek society to the people of Cyprus. He noted that these are challenging times for the wider region but stressed Greece’s unequivocal commitment to providing all possible assistance to Cyprus.The minister highlighted that this commitment carries both symbolic and practical weight, asserting that Greece will stand alongside the Cypriot people and all lawful residents of the Republic of Cyprus.“I will di...

[AMNA] Cyprus’ government has confirmed that four Greek F-16 aircraft have landed on the island, following a request to Athens. “Four F-16 aircraft of the Hellenic Air Force have just landed in Cyprus, following an immediate response from the Greek government, in the context of strengthening preventive measures and close cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and Greece,” Cyprus government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said, in a post on X. Earlier, Athens announced that it would send two frigates and two F-16 fighter jets to the island as security concerns escalate. “Following the unprovoked attacks on the territory of Cyprus, Greece will … contribute in every possible way to the defense of the Republic of Cyprus in order to addres...

Three years after Greece’s deadliest-ever train crash, the mother of one of the tragedy’s 57 victims told AFP she hopes her new political party will force the country’s governing elite to accept responsibility. Maria Karystianou has emerged as a figurehead for the families campaigning for justice for their loved ones killed in the February 2023 train crash in Tempe, central Greece. The disaster sparked immense anger across the Mediterranean nation. Like many Greeks, the 53-year-old paediatrician has accused the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of an attempted cover-up. She launched her party to combat the “corruption and cronyism” many see as omnipresent in Greek political life. “There is absolutely no chance that the situation in Greece will improve if citizens do not ente...

Despite almost everyone knowing that Ancient Athens was the cradle of democracy, many misinterpretations, anachronisms, or even myths keep circulating on a daily basis. Credit: Greek Reporter It is something of a cliché for modern politicians to stand before marble columns and invoke the legacy of Ancient Athenian democracy, as if we were merely operating a high-tech version of Athens itself. We often like to imagine that our voting booths are the natural evolution of the Pnyx hill, yet if an Ancient Greek were to appear today, they would likely find our version of democracy unrecognizable. They might even call it a “polite oligarchy,” given the stark contrast between contemporary political systems and the realities of Ancient Athenian governance. To truly grasp what the Athenians were att...

On Lonsdale Street, beneath a sea of blue-and-white flags, souvlaki smoke and bouzouki rhythms, politics took centre stage at the Antipodes Festival. By lunchtime on Saturday, Senator Jane Humes was already on stage, sharing stories of her travels to Greece and her connection to Melbourne’s Greek community. She recounted conversations with her partner Nick, bringing a light-hearted personal touch to the proceedings. Later that afternoon, state ministers arrived, marking a first for the festival: Labor ministers attended on Saturday, Liberals on Sunday. The Labor team, true to festival form, wandered the stalls, chatted with stallholders, and sampled the food. Premier Jacinta Allan, who came down from Bendigo with her son, paused at Oasis for a Greek coffee; the Premier choosing the t...

Yanis Varoufakis, the leftwing firebrand who briefly served as Greece’s finance minister, has criticised his “ridiculous prosecution” for allegedly promoting the use of recreational drugs after his public admission that he once took an ecstasy pill almost 40 years ago.The 64-year-old, who reminisced about the experience on a podcast, was charged on Wednesday with “inciting others in the illegal use of narcotics”. If convicted he faces a prison term of at least six months and up to €500,000 (£440,000) in fines. A court hearing has been scheduled for December.On Friday, Varoufakis described the indictment as indicative of the far-right turn in politics across the west.“My ridiculous prosecution must be seen within the wider, west-wide surge of an insidious new form of fascism,” he wrote on X...

Thousands of people joined Palestine solidarity protests in Athens, August 24, 2025. Source: PAME Thousands of people filled the streets of many Greek cities on Sunday, August 24, demanding freedom for Palestine, an end to all ties with Israel, and the immediate opening of aid corridors. The demonstrations were supported by grassroots trade unions and workers’ collectives, building on recent actions denouncing the links the Greek government continues to maintain with Israeli authorities. “It is unacceptable for the Greek government to support the genocide and starvation of the Palestinian people by supporting a war criminal along with its allies,” Dimitris Koutsoubas, general secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), said during the protests. “It must stop now, immediately...

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis participated in a conversation with Daron Acemoglu, Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as part of the 29th Annual Economist Roundtable with the Greek Government, which took place at the Grand Resort Lagonissi. The discussion was moderated by Daniel Franklin, Executive and Senior Editor of the Economist. The Prime Minister’s remarks follow: In his introductory remarks, referring to the situation of the Greek economy and international developments, the Prime Minister noted: “Thank you for the invitation. As far as the state of Greece is concerned, I don’t want to talk too much ...