Politics

AbstractAffective polarization, the strong feeling of animosity toward the supporters of the opposite party is rising in Europe. Several studies have examined the impact of ideological extremity and partisanship as a social identity on the rise of affective polarization. However, the impact of policy preferences on affective polarization remains relatively unexplored. I am at filling this gap by examining how preferences towards measures taken at addressing both the economic and the health crises impact affective polarization. Using newly collected data from Greece, a country with historically high levels of affective polarization, the analysis reveals that both policies have an impact of affective polarization but there are asymmetries on how policy preferences influence it. For the suppo...

A fierce debate erupted in the Greek Parliament over a government-proposed amendment to protect the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, revealing deep political divisions and personal tensions. The amendment, expected to pass today via a roll-call vote requested by the Communist Party (KKE), has ignited a clash between the government and the opposition, with accusations of divisiveness and political maneuvering dominating the session. The discussion grew heated as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defended the amendment, which transfers responsibility for the monument’s maintenance and protection to the Ministry of Defense. He argued that the site, long a stage for protests and political exploitation, should be treated as a sacred symbol of unity. “This monument, dedicated to the anonymous ...

Support justice-driven, accurate and transparent news — make a quick donation to Truthout today!  Greece’s conservative party New Democracy won another landslide victory in the country’s second election in just five weeks, trouncing Syriza, the so-called radical leftist party, by an even wider margin than in the first election. New Democracy finished by almost 23 points ahead of Syriza, a result that allows the conservatives to control 158 seats in the country’s 300-seat parliament. Moreover, Alexis Tsipras announced a few days later that he is resigning as Syriza’s leader as his party managed to secure just 48 seats. The result of the June 25 Greek elections makes New Democracy, “the most powerful center-right party in Europe,” as its leader and prime minister for a second consecutive...

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ordered a cabinet reshuffle Friday as his conservative government works to address declining public approval over a deadly 2023 rail disaster and a rise in support for far-right parties.In a nod to traditional conservatives, Makis Voridis, a politician with a far-right background, was named as the new migration minister — a high-profile appointment as the governing party battles a loss of support to fringe rightist parties.Other notable changes include moving a popular former minister of digital governance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, to head up the finance ministry. Pierrakakis, 42, is seen as a rising star in the governing New Democracy party and a political centrist.Kostis Hadtzidakis, the outgoing finance minister, was named as a...

Classics professor T. H. M. Gellar-Goad sets out name plates assigning roles to the students in his first-year seminar class. As they enter the classroom, they don chitons, the standard clothing worn by ancient Athenians. Some add fake beards.   As citizens of Greece in 403 BCE, the students are arguing whether Athens should expand voting rights. On other days, they have debated funding for social welfare and military investment. First-year student Ojasvi Deep says the discussions have expanded how she thinks about the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election. “The role-playing game helped me understand how democracy depended on active participation, debate and compromise, much like modern policy discussions. This experience has reinforced the importance of voting and political en...

A sense of déjà vu has descended on France’s National Assembly with the resignation of its prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu – the fifth in less than two years – after just 27 days in office. As he deserted his post, Lecornu described himself as “the weakest prime minister of the Fifth Republic”. It’s a rare moment of self-flagellation for a politician, yet encapsulates the circus that has come to define French politics.Lecornu’s departure throws a massive spanner in the works for President Emmanuel Macron’s government, plunges France into greater political instability and compounds the economic malaise dogging Europe’s second-largest economy. It’s a troubling legacy for a president who swept to power in 2017 as a radical centrist promising to modernise France’s welfare state and over-regu...

Two formerly protected witnesses at the center of Greece’s high-profile Novartis case were found guilty on Tuesday by the Athens Court of Appeal, marking a significant legal and political turning point and closing one of the country’s most divisive political scandals.Filistoras Destembasidis and Maria Maraggeli were convicted of false testimony and false accusation after the court ruled they knowingly made untrue claims that pharmaceutical giant Novartis had bribed senior Greek officials.The pair had accused 10 prominent politicians and officials, including former prime minister Antonis Samaras, Bank of Greece governor Yannis Stournaras, former ministers Evangelos Venizelos and Andreas Loverdos, and current minister Adonis Georgiadis of receiving kickbacks by pharmaceutical giant Novartis....

The Greek government is set to vote today on a controversial amendment designed to protect the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a symbol of national unity, amid fierce opposition. Following a request by Greece’s Communist Party (KKE), the vote will be recorded by name, highlighting the politically charged atmosphere surrounding the issue.Yesterday’s parliamentary session was tense, marked by sharp exchanges between the government and the entire opposition. Personal barbs and pointed remarks punctuated speeches, underscoring the gravity of the debate. Notably, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias distanced himself from the Prime Minister’s office in a public statement.Dendias Speaks OutMinister Dendias issued his statement while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis faced criticism in Parliament over th...

[Intime News] Activist Maria Karystianou, who is launching a new political party, made her first public comment on Greek-Turkish relations, calling on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to inform the Greek people about his upcoming meeting agenda with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.  In her statement, Karystianou emphasized that “maintaining national sovereignty and exercising the country’s rights under international law are nonnegotiable, and any relinquishment constitutes national treason.”  She referenced Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s statement: “Let’s not leave the table if problems aren’t solved.” Source link

Speaking in the Plenary during the debate on a bill for disaster prevention, New Democracy parliamentary spokesperson Makarios Lazaridis described the events as an “unacceptable attack” carried out by “pathological minorities” with no connection to the healthcare sector. “In democracies, protest is legitimate. Violence is not,” Lazaridis said. “Some members of the Communist Party of Greece and ANTARSYA did what they did to Mr Georgiadis. It is shameful and unacceptable. These attacks should be condemned by all parties.”Addressing the benches of SYRIZA, he added: “When some provoke incidents, they will face the reaction of the law. Period.” Zambaras: “A disgrace for the government to strike doctors and workers” Earlier, SYRIZA parliamentary spokesperson Miltos Zambaras took the f...