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Agora

In ancient Athens, the agora was the central location where citizens gathered to hear news, discuss and, later, trade. The agora was the heart of the city’s political, cultural and spiritual life and it gave birth to the Greek word for speaking in public: ἀγορεύω (agorevo). It is this spirit we hope to channel in this section of the website.

Here, the Agora is a public forum for discussing events that are unfolding in Greece and beyond. Contributors to Macropolis, as well as guest posters, share their views on political, economic and other matters, while also offering readers the opportunity to express their opinions. As always, those who fail to respect the sanctity of this forum will not be allowed to share in its benefits.

Posts in Politics

Results 141 to 145 out of 171.

One night in Cannes

There are few people in the world unhinged enough to have been willing to switch places with Greece's decision makers over the past few years. For all their failings, ministers, prime ministers and others have often found themselves in impossible situations, caught between a baying public at home and obdurate counterparts abroad. We must be clear that there were rarely straightforward solutions to Greece's problems since the start of the crisis.

Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis

2 Comment(s)

Categories: Europe (119), Politics (171), Economy (169), Greece (260)

Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com] Has SYRIZA's moment gone?

In June 2012, SYRIZA came within 171,000 votes of winning Greece’s national elections as part of an improbable but meteoric rise from raggle-taggle band of dreamy leftists to Europe’s premier anti-austerity crusaders. At the time it seemed that, even in electoral defeat, SYRIZA and its young leader Alexis Tsipras were laying a cornerstone for something much bigger. But events since then, especially over the last couple of weeks, suggest that we may have already seen SYRIZA’s finest moment.

Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis

4 Comment(s)

Categories: Politics (171), Greece (260)

Photo by Harry van Versendaal Does return to markets signal end of Greek crisis? The perils of ignoring macro-economic fundamentals

Politics today is the art of shaping a narrative, with the overriding preference being for one that is in harmony with markets and investors. This narrative is currently being formulated in real time in Greece. It is centred on the much anticipated return of the Greek sovereign to international bond markets.

Contributor: Jens Bastian

2 Comment(s)

Categories: Europe (119), Politics (171), Economy (169), Greece (260)

Photo by Harry van Versendaal Greece's ultimate sacrifice for stability

One of the ironies about the video showing ex-cabinet secretary Takis Baltakos in a furtive discussion with Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris is that this unholy alliance was being forged in a room that had at least nine religious icons on its walls. Another is that it showed Golden Dawn, the self-styled anti-systemic party, was completely at ease with the idea of cosying up to and horsetrading with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's right-hand man.

Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis

2 Comment(s)

Categories: Politics (171), Greece (260)

Photo by Harry van Versendaal No victory, just plenty of misery

It has become evident over the last few weeks that the eurozone’s pro-austerity camp is trying to defend its record, either through the ground it is afforded by influential media or through commentators that end up resembling cheerleaders rather than sober judges of the events that have unfolded in the single currency area.

Contributor: Yiannis Mouzakis

4 Comment(s)

Categories: Europe (119), Politics (171), Economy (169), Society (34), Greece (260)

Results 141 to 145 out of 171.