"I come from a country, where populism is the dominant ingredient of its political life. In fact, the current government has even managed to give an original, primitive meaning to the term, since it has managed to embrace both far-right and far-left populists".
Stavros Theodorakis attended the first interparliamentary conference organized by SPD, entitled “Towards a progressive Europe”. Mr Theodorakis has been invited by its Chairman Thomas Oppermann. In his speech, Mr Theodorakis referred to the existing inequality in Europe, which mainly hurts the young, as well as the plague of populism that has infiltrated in the political life of all Western countries. He also referred to the major issue of migration and the need for an equal distribution of the burden all over Europe.
“Some people tell us that we need to go to Venezuela, to find out what populism really means. This is not true. Populists are now everywhere. In Southern, as well as in Northern Europe. This is the case now. That was the case before too,” stated Mr Theodorakis in his speech. He added, “I come from a country, where populism is the dominant ingredient of its political life. In fact, the current government has even managed to give an original, primitive meaning to the term, since it has managed to embrace both far-right and far-left populists”.
Moreover, Mr Theodorakis stressed the need for all EU countries to assume their part of responsibility in tackling the refugee – migration issue, while pointing out that Greece has paid great effort, while there are other European countries that have shown no will to cooperate.
Finally, Mr Theodorakis stressed the need to give young people equal chances and opportunities. “We need to take care of young people, who were left behind because of the globalization,” he stated, adding that “we cannot keep on underestimating the effects of inequality”.
Photo credit: Theodore Manolopoulos
