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Greece's PM on NATO, Navalny, and the wake-up call to Europe
Greece, the world’s oldest democracy, is undergoing a major digital, economic, and social transformation era. Ian Bremmer sat down with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss global security, the threat of AI in elections, and Greece’s landmark ruling allowing same-sex couples to marry.
With the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine looming large, Mitsotakis stressed the importance of continuing to send financial and military aid to Kyiv and for Europe to increase its own defense spending. NATO allies have committed to spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense, but only 18 of the 31 NATO countries currently meet this goal. Mitsotakis says it’s high time for all NATO countries to step up.“We do our part as Greece, we spend more than 3% of our GDP on defense,” Kyriakos emphasized, “Just taking a look at what's happening in Ukraine, we cannot afford the same risks.”
Kyriakos also explains why it was important for Greece to participate in the unveiling of a major new tech accord aimed at combating AI-generated election misinformation at the conference and why his center-right government pushed hard to pass the recent landmark LGBTQ+ rights bill granting marital and adoption rights to same-sex couples.Watch full episode here: Can Ukraine win the war?
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week online and on US public television. Check local listings.
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Why Greek PM Mitsotakis pushed for same-sex marriage despite strong opposition
On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer asked Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for his reaction to Greece becoming the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex civil marriage. Greece’s parliament voted 176-76 to approve the legislation, which also legalizes adoption for same-sex families, despite opposition from the influential Greek Orthodox Church and from within Mitsotakis’ own center-right New Democracy party.
“I knew from the beginning that there are a lot of people within my party that did not agree with this,” Mitsotakis tells Bremmer, “But at the end of the day, human rights is about protecting smaller groups. Otherwise, you have the tyranny of the majority.”
Marriage legalization is a watershed moment for Greece’s LGBTQ+ community, which has been fighting for equal rights and recognition for decades. While opinion polls suggest that most Greeks support the new reform by a narrow margin, the conservative Orthodox Church is still a powerful force in Greek society. That, Mitsotakis explained, is why consensus-building was crucial for passing legislation.
“We worked very hard to explain to people what we’re doing, and we fully respected those who disagreed,” Mitsotakis said, “People understand it’s something that helps a few people and doesn’t threaten anyone, that’s why it’s so important.”
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week online and on US public television. Check local listings.
- The Parthenon Marbles dispute and the debate over cultural repatriation ›
- The Graphic Truth: LGBTQI identification vs. social acceptance ›
- Catholic priests can now bless same-sex couples, with a big caveat ›
- The Graphic Truth: Worlds apart on LGBTQ rights ›
- The times they are a-changin’ – is the Catholic Church? ›
- Greece’s “lost generation” election ›
- Greece's PM answers: Are refugees becoming geopolitical pawns between Greece and Turkey? ›
- Greece will soon head to the polls again ›
- Greece's PM on NATO, Navalny, and the wake-up call to Europe - GZERO Media ›
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis saluting supporters
Greece will soon head to the polls again
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ center-right New Democracy party, which dominated that ballot with 40%, is widely expected to win outright in the next round, where different rules make it easier for the top finisher to form a government.
The hard leftists of Syriza, meanwhile, who swept to power back in 2015-2019 by riding a wave of popular anger about Greece’s debt crises and austerity measures, placed a distant second, with just 20% of the vote. Their more moderate, establishment social democrat rivals in PASOK, meanwhile, pulled in with 11%, their best result in a decade.
Mitsotakis’ critics will remind voters that he presided over Greece’s worst-ever train crash, illegally wiretapped his political opponents, and has recently been put on the defensive over the Greek government’s reported pushback of would-be asylum-seekers. But the PM is still well-positioned to carry the day by pitching voters, again, on his record of strong economic recovery – the S&P recently upgraded the country’s outlook from stable to positive – falling inflation, and a tough border policy.
PM Mitsotakis: Greece’s pandemic response improved its “brand” in the EU
Long derided as the European Union's "problem child" Greece has shown itself to be a model for pandemic response and economic recovery within theEuropean bloc. And as the EU enacts a massive economic bailout plan, one that Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis likens to the "Marshall plan" of the post WWII era, the leader of this Southern European nation thinks the future looks bright.
Watch the GZERO World episode: Greece's unlikely COVID success story: Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Greece's PM answers: Are refugees becoming geopolitical pawns between Greece and Turkey?
"Our number one priority is to protect human life at sea, but we also have responsibility of protecting our borders," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Ian Bremmer when asked about the growing refugee crisis in his country. In an interview for GZERO World, Bremmer pressed the Prime Minister on if he's forced helpless refugees in the region play a role in a geopolitical tiff between Greece and Turkey.
Is Greece taking sides in the escalating conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan?
As war breaks out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over a contested region in the Caucuses, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tells Ian Bremmer that the Greeks have "fully aligned ourselves with calls for an immediate cease fire." But as the conflict heats up and global powers take sides, what will be the larger geopolitical implications?
Watch the GZERO World episode: Greece's unlikely COVID success story: Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Extended conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
When the coronavirus came to Greece in March, the country was only beginning to emerge from a decades-long financial crisis that had brought it to its knees. Citizens feared the worst, but instead the country responded swiftly and effectively, and cases have stayed down. In an extended GZERO World interview with Ian Bremmer, Greece's Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, talks about his country's pandemic response, its "improved brand" on the European stage, and recent tensions with neighboring Turkey.
Greece’s unlikely COVID success story: Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis
When the coronavirus came to Greece in March, the country was only beginning to emerge from a decades-long financial crisis that had brought it to its knees. Citizens feared the worst, but instead the country responded swiftly and effectively, and cases have stayed down. On GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, Greece's Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, talks about his country's pandemic response, its "improved brand" on the European stage, and recent tensions with neighboring Turkey.