Politics

Zoe Konstantopoulou, leader of Plefsi Eleftherias, is the new firebrand in Greek politics as opinion polls put her party second after ruling New Democracy. Credit: AMNA Zoe Konstantopoulou is the new rising star in Greek politics, having secured second place in popularity within a month, following the governing New Democracy party. Greece has been in political turmoil since the February 28 mass rally when hundreds of thousands of Greeks protested nationwide and abroad demanding accountability and justice for the death of 57 (mostly young) people who were killed in the Tempi railway disaster on February 28, 2023. The number of disgruntled citizens and the no-confidence motion for the Kyriakos Mitsotakis government that followed the rally shook the ruling party, forcing a rushed cabinet resh...

The Tempe tragedy has unleashed a wave of public discontent, exposing deep frustration with the government’s actions—or lack thereof—over recent years. In its wake, an unexpected political shift has emerged, reshaping the landscape in surprising ways. The small leftist party Course for Freedom, once hovering around 4% in support just months ago, has surged to approximately 14% in the latest polls, securing second place. This rapid rise has thrust the party, centered entirely on the dynamic and polarizing figure of Zoe Konstantopoulou, into the spotlight as a formidable contender. Konstantopoulou, widely known simply as Zoe, founded Course for Freedom after breaking away from SYRIZA in late 2015. A former speaker of the Greek Parliament, she has long been a commanding presence, and he...

“[T]he executive director of Frontex has said that he expects all these recommendations to be implemented. Otherwise, he would consider reducing or cutting funding for co-financed assets,” said Chris Borowski, spokesman for the EU border agency Frontex. Those co-financed assets refer to a number of Greek coast guard vessels. Officials from the Greek coast guard and Greek government did not respond to a request for a comment. In January 2025, the European Court of Human Rights found Greek authorities guilty of conducting systematic pushbacks of migrants, and violating human rights law in the process. The EU has previously called on Greece to investigate allegations of migrants being abandoned at sea and deportations by its authorities. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis rece...

By&nbspEuronews Published on 07/10/2025 - 12:14 GMT+2 Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has resigned from his parliamentary seat, fuelling speculation that he will form a new political party. In his announcement on Monday, Tsipras said he was stepping down as a Syriza member of parliament, but "not resigning from political activism". "I cannot, and I do not want to, formally participate in a parliament that, democratically stripped bare, mainly at the responsibility of the majority, is unable to perform the role that the constitution prescribes and the citizens demand," he said in a statement. Later on Monday, the leftist told his former colleagues: "We will not be rivals. And perhaps soon we will trave...

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu joke prior to signing bilateral agreements, during a meeting in Athens, Greece, on April 14, 2025. [Louisa Gouliamaki/Reuters] The close defense relations between France and Greece were affirmed Monday during the visit of French Minister of Defense Sebastien Lecornu. In practical terms, the two countries signed a 33-million-euro agreement for the procurement of 16 French-built Exocet anti-ship missiles and, specifically, the more advanced version MM40 Block 3. They will complement the existing, earlier makes of Exocet now in Greece’s gunboats. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias told Lecornu that he will propose the activation of the option to buy a fourth advanced French-built frigate. Pre...

The ancient Greek orator Dio Chrysostom (1st-2nd century CE) said in his speech To the People of Alexandria that there were two kinds of democracy: one good and one bad. According to Dio, one form of democracy “is reasonable and gentle and truly mild”. It allows for free speech. It is fair, magnanimous and respectful of good people and good advice. But Dio continues with darker words about democracy: The more prevalent kind of democracy is bold and arrogant, difficult to please in anything, fastidious, resembling tyrants or much worse, seeing that its vice is not that of one individual or of one kind but a jumble of the vices of thousands; and so it is a multifarious and dreadful beast. In the modern world, there are many arguments about the nature of democracy, and many words both ...

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 ...