News Stream

The new government, image and symbolism

The first indications from the new government are sending out all the right signals. Tuesday’s handover ceremonies at the ministries confirmed a return to normalcy, after a decade-long crisis that painfully divided the country. Both sides should be given credit for the civilized political discourse that prevailed during the change of guard. It is hoped that this spirit will continue during the debates that are expected to take place in Parliament, not only in the sense of a more sophisticated rhetoric, but also, hopefully, in the approval of some government bills by the new main opposition....

Mitsotakis, expectations and the need for unity

The coming weeks will naturally see an emphasis on New Democracy’s proposals on all the major issues, from the economy and security, to education and health. At the same time the new prime minister will have to strike a balance between the rival forces within his party’s ranks, combining the new with the old. ...

A wise verdict

The Greek people voted wisely, as they have done in the past. They have given Kyriakos Mitsotakis a comfortable majority and a strong mandate. A percentage so close to 40 percent is unprecedented in the years of the crisis, as is a government with an outright majority. ...

The others were Merkel’s puppets, we were just naive

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras admitted to being naive enough to believe that his European counterparts, whose countries have loaned Greece billions of euros, would go easy on him...

Greek elections: The main questions

Who will win? This is usually the fundamental question in any election, but very few people seem to have doubts this time around. The outcome of the recent European Parliament election and the bolstered credibility of opinion polls make virtually everyone – both winners and losers in May’s Euro vote, both experts and ordinary voters – believe that New Democracy will win Sunday’s ballot....

The liberal narrative and the risks

A top athlete, a rare human being, a true Greek

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a unique example of a great athlete, but also, more importantly, an exceptional person. He is the best response to racists and all those who cannot stomach diversity – whether in Greece, the United States or the world. ...

When necessity becomes history

Winds of War

The Trump factor

What’s with all the horrifying details?

The most shocking aspect was not so much the discovery of the little girl’s body as it was actually the way we take part and become a part one way or another in this sensationalism of human pain...

Sixteen years on, frustration with Ankara resurfaces

The truisms of Mr Pamboridis

Will the Democratic Rally’s political bureau tackle all the issues or are they going to sweep things under the rug on the pretense that DISY remains the strongest party?...

Prudence and moderation

Anastasiadescare

Let us put our minds to work

The silent vote

Undiplomatic behavior

They are not Europe

Britain and the chaos that has taken over the country is the biggest sign of what dangerous populism can do if it is underestimated, but it is not the only example...

The election results and ND’s next challenge

How much longer?

I wonder whether all this time since the economic crisis was enough to make us really angry, and I mean, really angry, not the kind of anger where one can go on social media to vent but a deeper feeling of rage...

A new chapter for Greece

Against all odds

Ghosts of history

It’s quite tragic that, 75 years after the Greek civil war, we have reached the point where prominent resistance leader Aris Velouchiotis is a central “figure” in an electoral campaign....

Did someone say Europe?

We are just days away from elections and it seems that we need to be reminded about which elections we are talking about...

Old Greece is waiting around the corner

Toxic environment

The elections will be over in a few days and base politics will take their place, along with voter abstention after all ballots are counted. But one thing that cannot be measured is the damage to the rapprochement effort caused by this drawn-out argument...

Turkey is waiting for its next opportunity

So are we racists?

It’s the latest subject tossed around in various panels, following reports in the foreign media that have zoomed in on all of us...

Cry havoc!