The Greek Letter - ekaathimerini. com - Greece's comeback kid? - 12 October 2025

 

Greece’s comeback kid?[InTime News] Constantine CapsaskisNewsletter Editor Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. Former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced that he was resigning his parliamentary seat to engage in politics beyond the formal confines of the Hellenic Parliament. “It was neither an easy nor a thoughtless decision. I resign because I cannot and do not want to hold the office of MP, with all its privileges, when I feel that my participation, especially in the special position of former prime minister, contributes nothing substantial to those who trusted me”, stated Tsipras in a recorded message, adding that “I cannot and do not want to participate formally in a parliament that, democratically weakened, primarily due to the responsibility of the majority, fails to fulfil the role the Constitution requires and citizens demand”. The impact of his resignation, and whether it will act as a catalyst for the formation of a new center-left coalition that will be able to challenge New Democracy, remains to be seen. The government was quick to dismiss Tsipras’ move, stating that it was “parliamentarily irrelevant”. Nonetheless it has created a serious issue for the parties of the center-left and left, and nowhere more so than his former party SYRIZA which he led for 15 years. “We will not be adversaries. And maybe we will soon embark on a journey together again, in lovelier seas,” said Tsipras when referring to his former comrades, a sentiment echoed by current SYRIZA leader Sokratis Famellos who said that “we may currently have different views on how this will be achieved. But we will not be opponents”. It is unclear if this era of good feelings between the two political entities will continue, as an increasing number of SYRIZA MPs have openly expressed their support for Tsipras’ endeavor. Others, like firebrand MP Pavlos Polakis, have been categorically opposed to any sort of cooperation. The reaction of the New Left party, which was formed by former SYRIZA MPs who left the party during the leadership of Stefanos Kasselakis, will also be an important indicator of the viability of the project. Party leader Alexis Charitsis, formerly a close collaborator of Tsipras, noted that the priority for Greece’s progressive political space should be “the broadest possible unity and rallying of the forces of the Left against the advance of the Right”. Finally, main opposition party PASOK is setting its own sights on Tsipras, keen to stress that it will be the kingmaker in the progressive sphere. There are calls within the party for PASOK to more actively engage with wider progressive forces under its own banner. Spotlight The recent flare-up of tension between Greece and Turkey seems likely to be here to stay. Athens received Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s pointed remarks that Turkey is being surrounded by a shadowy alliance that his country will try to manage diplomatically, but should these efforts fail, will be dealt with militarily. Officials are wary that Ankara may adopt once more a more aggressive demeanour, similar to that it displayed prior to 2023, with the latest NAVTEX in the central Aegean being an early sign of this renewed tension. At the same time, Greece has refused to budge on the issue of Turkey’s inclusion in the €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program designed to boost investment in defense industries, despite immense pressure to do so, linking it to the longstanding resolution by the Turkish parliament to react, militarily if needed, to the potential extension of Greece’s territorial waters in the Aegean Sea to 12 miles, in essence a casus belli, as well as Ankara’s dispute of Greek sovereignty over islands and islets in the region.   Greece was among the countries attacked in a statement by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who echoed positions put forward by Turkey and North Macedonia on their disputes with Greece. Specifically, Zakharova referenced the “the intervention of the black colonels’ junta in Greece in the intercommunal conflict in Cyprus [and] the attempted annexation of the island by Greece” and “Greece’s blocking of international initiatives aimed at cooperation with the Republic of Macedonia (due to the name dispute)”. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis rejected these arguments, stating that “these are unhistorical, inaccurate positions, which are contrary to the truth and our national interests”. Greece’s bilateral relations with Russia have deteriorated sharply following the latter’s invasion of Ukraine, with the Greek government unequivocally supporting Ukraine.

MUST READS Alexis Tsipras: What is left after the rebrand?Go to article > Time running out as problems mountGo to article > Alexis Tsipras: What will be his new narrative and who will join him?Go to article >

OPINION Tom EllisEditor-in-Chief, Kathimerini English Edition The Gaza truce and Greece[Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo] Athens is closely following how the truce in Gaza will develop, trying to gauge what it could mean for its role and interests; its relations with its neighbors, and the wider East Med region. A strategic ally of Israel, with traditionally close ties with the Arab world, Greece looks forward to and publicly supports improved relations between Israel and the Arab states and, in this context, the revival of the Abraham Accords. Invited, along with Cyprus, to the international conference on Gaza that is taking place on Monday in Egypt, Greece is ready to play a stabilizing role. being a part of NATO, and along with Cyprus, one of the two members of the EU geographically closest to the Middle East. It knows the area well and could contribute its part in how it is developed, emphasizing, among other aspects, its keen interest in the safety and wellbeing of the Christian populations of the area. In the same context, and provided the US gets back to supporting the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor, Athens and Nicosia are well placed as hubs to play a critical role in the project. Finally, some tend to analyze every development through the “Greece-Turkey prism”, but Athens has an important regional presence on its own right; its close cooperation with Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia being a testament to that. And despite the fact that President Trump has made no secret of his personal fondness of his Turkish counterpart, and Mr. Erdogan’s role in dealing with Hamas, Turkey’s overextension in the area, from Syria to Libya, is not necessarily welcomed by the Arab countries who have serious reservations, rooted deep in history, about the role and the neo-ottoman intentions of Ankara.

CHART OF THE WEEK

A total of 15 Greek e-shops have been shuttered in 2025, facing fierce competition from the expanding presence of Chinese e-commerce platforms. Market experts warn that more closures may follow, with platforms like Temu, Shein, AliExpress, and others now accounting for approximately 20% of the domestic e-commerce market. As a result, the Greek E-Commerce Association (GRECA), in collaboration with other trade associations (including the Athens Chamber of Commerce), are proposing the imposition of a seven-euro levy on every low-value parcel, those valued at 150 euro or less, imported from third countries. This means that if the European Union does implement its own fee of two euros on such parcels, something being discussed currently, the total fee for these packages could reach a total of nine euros per parcel.

ESCAPADE Chios: The hidden haven for foreign retirees More and more Europeans retire to the island of Chios, breathing new life into quiet villages that were slowly fading away. Go to article >

ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL

“The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 2,110.14 points, up 1.61% on a weekly basis.”

“Greece’s prevalence of small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) face an uphill battle to meet the European Union’s flagship sustainability directive, despite the European Union’s decision to delay its implementation. Most lack both the resources and expertise to meet the incoming ESG requirements, and with the share of SMEs of the composition of Greek businesses estimated to be 95%, this constitutes a serious question.”

“The country’s trade deficit in August recorded a decrease of 18.8% this year, with the total value of imports reported at 5.45 billion euros (down from 6.26 billion the year before) and the total value of exports reaching 3.35 billion euros (also down from 3.68 billion the year before).”

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA

14/10/2025Strike: Unions have called for a new general strike on Tuesday to protest the government’s proposed legislation legalizing a 13-hour workday. The strike will take place on the same day Parliament discusses the bill. 15/10/2025Cyprus trial: The trial of five elderly Greek-Cypriots being held in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus will continue next week. 16/10/2025Foreign Affairs: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will address Parliament and the leaders of its political parties to brief them on the government’s foreign policy, and particularly the government’s stance on Gaza.

Editor's PickThe problem is that our politics are in a quagmire of general, self-satisfied mediocrityNikos KonstandarasRead the article

PODCAST

08/10/2025 • 13:46Is a Tsipras comeback in the cards?Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Davelis as we look at whether former prime minister Alexis Tsipras is angling for a comeback, and what impact this could have on Greece’s political scene.

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