The Greek Current

This week Greece saw workers in the public and the private sector go on strike, demanding better wages in the face of rising costs across the board. This comes despite Greece’s economic success story, whether it's achieving investment grade or outperforming its Eurozone partners, and as the government announced it is set to make another early repayment of €5 billion of bailout-era loans. Nikos Vettas, the general director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) and a professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the state of the economy - from the cost of living crisis and wages to debt reduction.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Thousands in Greece strike to protest soaring living costsGreece to repay chunk of bailout debt earlyNew budget includes support measures over 1 bln eurosPASOK becomes main opposition after leftist party collapseAnkara irked by European maritime map

On November 17th Greeks commemorated the 51st anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising - a seminal moment that effectively delivered the first real blow to the military dictatorship, or the junta, that was ruling Greece. While the story of the uprising itself is well known, the Greek diaspora around the world also played an important role in the fight against the junta. Alexander Kitroeff, a professor of history with an expertise on the Greek diaspora experience, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the Polytechnic uprising and the diaspora’s key role in the broader story of restoring democracy to Greece.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:The Athens Polytechnic uprising, a milestone of peaceful resistance not to be forgottenAmazon invests in three wind farms in GreeceOpen Doors 2024: Greece Receives Record Number of U.S. Students

On Monday the US warned Turkey against hosting Hamas leadership after reports emerged that some Hamas leaders had moved to Turkey from Qatar, with State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller saying Washington will make it clear to Ankara that there can be no more business as usual with Hamas. Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at FDD and an expert on Turkish politics, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest warning from Washington, and look at how the Hamas issue is likely to impact US-Turkey ties as the Trump administration prepares to take over in January.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:US warns Turkey against hosting Hamas leadersTurkey Shouldn’t Celebrate a Donald Trump Victory Just YetGreece faces general strike as workers protest cost of living squeezeShips docked, transport services disrupted as Greeks walk out for higher payGreece to repay chunk of bailout debt early

This weekend Prime Minister Mitsotakis took a bold and risky move to expel former prime minister and lawmaker Antonis Samaras from New Democracy. The story, and its potential impact on the government, is the main issue dominating the headlines in Greece over the past few days. Wolfango Piccoli, the co-founder of the risk analysis company Teneo, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest development and break down what it means for Greece’s government, New Democracy, and its broader political landscape.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:PM ensures stability post-SamarasRuling party tension boils over as Mitsotakis ousts ex-PM and right wing figurehead SamarasTurkey plans Aegean oil researchGreece Extends Drills Hampering Transfer of Russian Oil Cargoes

In 2016 European leaders treated Trump’s win as an aberration, something to ride out. Eight years later, European leaders are now trying to gauge what a second Trump presidency will mean for the continent. While Jean Monnet famously said “Europe will be forged in crisis,” the political turmoil in Germany and France, Europe’s two largest economies, has many asking if Europe is up for the challenge. Expert Max Bergmann joins Thanos Davelis to break down what European leaders should expect from the incoming Trump administration, and whether the continent is ready to meet the challenges ahead.Max Bergmann is the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern European Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:The Trump challenge for EuropeNew Democracy rift and SYRIZA polls in the spotlightGov’t dismisses stability concerns after Samaras expulsion; focus shifts to KaramanlisTurkey expands grip in Libya

This week President-elect Donald Trump unveiled his picks for a number of positions that will have a direct impact on US diplomacy and national security - including his nominations of Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State and Representative Michael Waltz for National Security Adviser. As Trump’s national security team takes shape, Jonathan Schanzer, the senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and Endy Zemenides, Executive Director of HALC, join Thanos Davelis to break down what message these nominations send about the foreign policy priorities of a second Trump administration, especially when looking at the Eastern Mediterranean.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:President-elect Trump nominates Marco Rubio for secretary of stateNational security picks signal direction of Trump’s foreign policy plansTrump builds out national security team with picks of Hegseth for Pentagon, Noem for DHSTulsi Gabbard Questioned U.S. Intelligence. Now She Is Trump’s Pick for Top Intelligence Role.Army reboot: Smaller, smarter, strongerTurkey deploys warships over misunderstanding

This past weekend Stefanos Kasselakis announced the formation of a new political movement as SYRIZA prepares for a key leadership race. The decision not only throws the party into further turmoil, but leaves it weaker than ever and on the verge of being replaced as Greece’s main opposition party. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Stefanos Kasselakis’ decision to found a new party, and look at what this latest split within SYRIZA means for its political future and for Greece’s fractured left.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:SYRIZA’s fate hanging in the balanceMarco Rubio Is Trump’s Pick for Secretary of StateRubio pick signals a Trump China policy that could go beyond tariffsCongressman Gus Bilirakis hails Trump announcement of Marco Rubio as foreign affairs chiefAre Turkey's Erdogan and his nationalist ally about to fall out over Kurds?

Last Friday Greece and Turkey’s foreign ministers held a much anticipated meeting in Athens to see if there is a way forward on resolving differences between the two countries, primarily in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. While there were no major breakthroughs last week, continued talks between the two countries on critical issues are seen as important - especially when it comes to managing tensions. Constantinos Filis, the director of the Institute of Global Affairs and a professor of international relations at the American College of Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest meeting in Athens and break down what to look out for as talks progress. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Differences persist in Athens, Ankara talksGreek-Turkish talks resume in DecemberPlan to reshape armed forces for the futureUN plans key Cyprus meeting

Last month Greece unveiled a new and ambitious National Energy and Climate Plan that will almost eliminate electricity sector emissions by 2030. While these steps are massively important for the environment, they are also seen as an opportunity to unshackle Greece’s economy and create thousands of jobs. John Psaropoulos joins Thanos Davelis with an inside look into Greece’s ambitious climate goals, and breaks down how they can impact both the economy and Greece’s standing in the region.John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist and Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe. He publishes Hellenica, a weekly deep dive into Greek current affairs and history. You can find it on Substack.com.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece races to clean energy with a new climate plan (and it could go even faster)Mitsotakis invites Trump to visit GreeceTrump Expected to Name Marco Rubio as Secretary of StateItalian court rejects Meloni’s migrant camps in Albania for a second timeItaly’s plan to screen migrants in Albania hits another snag with 2nd group returning to Italy

Over the past weeks we’ve seen Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his government put tax cuts and wages front and center, something made possible as a result of increased state revenue from economic growth, GDP gains, debt reduction, and a crackdown on tax evasion. Yiannis Mouzakis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to look at these proposed tax cuts, the broader picture of the Greek economy, and the political dimension of this discussion.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:PM puts tax cuts front and centre in bid to win back votersOverreliance on indirect taxesIncreasing revenues pave way for tax cutsMitsotakis pledges tax relief for households and businessesDifferences persist in Athens, Ankara talksKasselakis split sparks political realignmentSYRIZA MP Tzakri signals defection to Kasselakis’ new party