Greece, the World Turns: Are We Missing the Bigger Picture?

15:54 22/3/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

The world feels increasingly unstable, a disorienting spin that began with Trump's presidency. Security and the economy, once relatively predictable, now teeter on the edge of uncertainty.

Europe grapples with its own defense, and a looming trade war threatens to reshape global commerce. Protectionism, once a relic, is back with a vengeance.

What does this

mean for Greece? Are we, as a nation, paying attention?

The answer should be a resounding "yes." Yet, our public discourse remains stubbornly fixated on the Tempi train tragedy, a national catastrophe, undoubtedly. But while justice for the victims is paramount, our collective gaze remains narrowly fixed on the immediate aftermath, the legal wrangling, and the political fallout.

We're lost in a labyrinth of constitutional debates, counting experts and dissecting legal arguments, while the broader implications of the tragedy—the systemic failures, the urgent need for modern, safe infrastructure—remain largely ignored.

Polls confirm this obsession. The Tempi disaster has understandably shaken the nation, triggering a visceral "that could have been my child" fear. Yet, the sustained focus on the tragedy, fueled by political rhetoric and media coverage, risks obscuring the larger, more pressing issues facing Greece.

The polls also reveal a disturbing trend: plummeting government approval, coupled with a similar decline in support for mainstream opposition parties. This vacuum is being filled by fringe elements, both on the right and the left, with figures like Zoe Konstantopoulou capitalizing on a growing anti-systemic sentiment.

But is this anti-systemic fervor truly about justice for Tempi? Or is it a symptom of a deeper malaise, a reflection of a growing distrust in the "system" itself?

Greece's political class must lift its gaze from the immediate "trees" and see the "forest." History is littered with examples of nations that, consumed by petty politics and short-term gains, crashed against the rocks.

Across the Atlantic, a similar anti-systemic wave propelled Trump to power. Americans, disillusioned and angry, felt their country was in decline, their system broken, their elites indifferent. This anger, this "burn it all down" mentality, has found fertile ground in Europe, too, fueling the rise of the far-right.

We must demand justice for Tempi, but in a manner befitting a mature European democracy. This means addressing the systemic failures that led to the tragedy, while also confronting the broader challenges facing our nation.

Greece, and Europe, cannot afford to be distracted by internal squabbles while the world around us shifts on its axis. We must demand seriousness, cooperation, and real solutions, not just for the victims of Tempi, but for the future of our nation.

By Anni Podimata

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