Politics

Georgetown Journal of International Affairs: Dr. Anastasakis, your work often highlights the enduring influence of historical experiences on contemporary politics. In what ways do you believe Greece’s historical experiences, ranging from economic crises to periods of political instability, are shaping its current approach to challenges such as economic reform and institutional accountability? Dr. Anastasakis: The legacies of certain historical periods and events are very important in shaping attitudes and responses to contemporary challenges in all national settings. History does not simply fade away. It is there for comparisons and lessons learned or unlearned. It affects how countries shape the present and how they respond to challenges during different periods in time. And they particul...

In early June 2012, Greece’s ANT1 TV invited Ilias Kasidiaris, a 31-year-old spokesperson for the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, onto a panel to discuss that summer’s elections. He would face off against Rena Dourou, a left-wing member of the Syriza party, and Liana Kanelli, a longtime communist politician, among others. Insults soon flew. Kanelli called Kasidiaris a “fascist.” “You old commie,” he shot back. Golden Dawn was fresh from a historic performance in elections, pulling in just shy of 7% of the vote. In a couple weeks, Greeks would head back for another round of voting. A month earlier, Kasidiaris had given an interview in which he lashed out at immigrants and refused to condemn Adolf Hitler. His party had loitered on the fringe of Greek politics for decades, carrying out viol...

The Greek government is facing a diplomatic deadlock as Washington is pushing Athens to send Russia-made anti-aircraft missile systems S-300 to Ukraine but keeps mum regarding replacing them with US-made Patriots. News website News247 reported that Washington is pressuring Athens to send the S-300 to Ukraine but without seeming willing to replace them with their own Patriots. Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos reportedly left open the possibility of sending the S-300s to Ukraine, provided the US first deploys Patriot missiles on the island of Crete and integrates them into the national air defence system. He also noted that the same process applies to any other Russian air defence system the US would like to send to Ukraine. With growing hostility from Turkey, Greece wants to ensure it...

Changing of the Greek Presidential Guard at Syntagma, Athens. Credit: Public Domain The Greek government is moving to place the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier—the national memorial located outside the Parliament building in Athens’ Syntagma Square—under the direct control of the Ministry of Defense. This decision, announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, comes directly in response to a significant protest staged at the site by Panos Ruci, the father of one of the 57 victims of the 2023 Tempi train crash. Ruci conducted a highly visible hunger strike at the memorial, which drew considerable public attention and support from rival political parties, effectively turning the historic site into a focal point of anti-government sentiment regarding the crash investigation. Mitsotakis on ...

Greek American Andy Manatos has been in the center of US politics and power in DC for decades. Credit: Oxi Day Foundation In the complex ecosystem of Washington DC, where influence is often measured in campaign contributions and legislative fine print, Andy Manatos stands as a bridge between two worlds: the high-stakes corridors of American power and the enduring values of the Hellenic spirit. As a former US government official who worked under different administrations and today the President of Manatos & Manatos and a driving force behind the Washington Oxi Day Foundation, Manatos has spent over half a century ensuring that Greece, Cyprus, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate are not merely footnotes in US foreign policy but central priorities. His story is the quintessential American suc...

Four ministers from Greece’s conservative New Democracy government resigned on Friday following revelations of their involvement in a scandal related to EU agriculture funds, in an affair that has shaken Greek politics. The scandal came to light following an investigation led by EU Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi and her representative in Athens, Popi Papandreou. It centres on OPEKEPE, the Greek agency responsible for distributing EU agricultural subsidies. OPEKEPE is accused of processing falsified land leases and false declarations, channelling millions of euros to non-existent farmland. Several livestock farmers from the island of Crete have been accused of fraud for the period between 2019 and 2022. According to Kathimerini, the total budget for organic farming during that period was €29...

Greek judges are up in arms after the conservative government bypassed their input on Supreme Court appointments. Yet, Brussels remains silent despite flagging rule of law concerns in its annual report on such matters this year. According to the European Commission’s 2025 Rule of Law Report, public trust in the Greek justice system remains low, with citizens and businesses consistently believing that the judiciary is politically influenced. At the centre of the dispute lies the process of appointing top judges, which, unlike in other EU countries, remains under the government’s complete control. Following a Commission recommendation, the Greek government passed legislation in 2024 enabling judges to express a non-binding opinion on their preferred candidates for senior judicial roles – a...

A Greek court is expected to deliver its verdict today in the trial of two former protected witnesses at the center of the long-running Novartis scandal. The case, which shook Greek politics when it first emerged, now focuses not on alleged corruption but on whether the witnesses misled prosecutors with false testimony.The defendants, known under witness protection aliases as “Maximos Sarafis” and “Aikaterini Kelesi,” have been on trial for months before the Misdemeanors Court of Athens on charges of perjury and false accusation. Their real names—Filistor Destempasidis and Maria Marangeli—came to light after their protected status was lifted in 2024.The controversy dates back to 2017–2018, when both accused claimed that ten high-profile political figures had received illicit payments from ...

A screengrab from a live stream video shows Israeli navy forces aboard the Gaza-bound vessel Oxygono, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which flotilla organisers report has been intercepted, October 2, 2025. [Global Sumud Flotilla/Handout via Reuters] Israeli forces have stopped 13 boats – including the Greek Oxygono (Oxygen) – carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza, but 30 boats are continuing to sail towards the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave, flotilla organizers said on Thursday. A video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters showed the most prominent of the flotilla’s passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers. “Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and thei...

The farmers are demanding concrete relief for soaring energy costs and guaranteed timelines for financial support payments to offset collapsing incomes. Credit: Greek Reporter Greek farmers are deliberating over a “final” offer made by the government to decide whether they will continue their strike that includes blockades of major highways. The first reaction was strong dissatisfaction with the proposed measures. The farmers are demanding concrete relief for soaring energy costs and guaranteed timelines for financial support payments to offset collapsing incomes. Earlier on Wednesday, Greek ministers offered a package of measures they argue would satisfy several demands of the nation’s farmers. Among the measures are: Fixed energy rates: The Public Power Corporation (PPC/ΔΕΗ) is extendin...