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A ragpicker searches for garbage as he walks through railway tracks on a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India on November 4, 2023.
Hard Numbers: India’s capital struggles to breathe, Honduran villages cut off, Greece puts a dent in its debt, Tiger King begs Trump for job
1,700: At least 1,700 communities in Honduras have been isolated by flooding caused by Tropical Storm Sara, which dumped nearly 20 inches of water over four days in the north of the country. At least nine bridges were destroyed and 19 more damaged, complicating efforts to reach the affected communities.
5 billion: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his government plans to pay down at least $5.3 billion dollars in debt in 2025, well ahead of schedule, thanks to strict fiscal discipline. Greece still has the highest debt-to-GDP ratio in the Eurozone, but has markedly improved since the country’s debt crisis a decade ago.
21: Joseph Maldonado-Passage — much better known as “Joe Exotic” from the bizarre 2020 Netflix hit documentary “Tiger King” — asked President-elect Donald Trump to pardon him from his 21-year prison sentence for attempting to arrange the murder of his tiger rival Carole Baskin. (It’s a hell of a doc). That’s not all: the feline enthusiast also wants to join Trump’s cabinet as the director of the US Fish and Wildlife service.
People view examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, November 29, 2023.
Turkey backs Greece’s Parthenon Sculptures claims
For more than a hundred years, Greece has demanded that the British Museum return a set of marble sculptures that were hacked off of the famous Parthenon temple by a British nobleman in the early 19th century, when Athens was part of the Ottoman Empire.
The Greek position is that the marbles were taken illegitimately and that they should be viewed in their original setting. But the British have always said Lord Elgin got official permission from the Sultan to take the sculptures, which he later sold to the British Museum.
But did he? The Turkish government, official successor to the Ottomans, now says that it has found no archival evidence that any such permission was ever given. Zilch.
For anyone who knows the fraught history of Turkey-Greece relations, it is very unusual for one side to give the other an assist like this.
The Daily’s Matt Kendrick suggests this meme might help to explain it …
In recent months, the possibility of the British Museum lending the marbles has gained some momentum, thought the two sides are still far apart on conditions.
We are now watching to see if the Turkish statement contributes to any unstiffening of the British Museum’s upper lip when it comes to the fate of the marbles, which we too would like to see in Athens one day (hides under desk.)
(Losing your marbles? See Alex Kliment and Molly Rubin’s GZERO Report on the Parthenon controversy and the broader politics of cultural repatriation here.)
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.
- Why Greek PM Mitsotakis pushed for same-sex marriage despite strong opposition ›
- Mitsotakis wins big in Greece ›
- Greece's PM answers: Are refugees becoming geopolitical pawns between Greece and Turkey? ›
- Russia-Ukraine: Two Years of War ›
- As Russia balks, NATO might gain two strong Nordic recruits ›
- The Graphic Truth: How NATO absorbed its old foes ›
- NATO bares its teeth ›
- Everything is political™: Ancient sculptures edition ›
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 ›
US approves F-16s for Turkey, moving Sweden NATO membership closer
Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden, shares his perspective on European politics from Stockholm.
How are things proceeding with the ratification of the Swedish membership in NATO?
Well, it’s been some back and forth. But now Turkey has ratified and that is important. That has to do with also the agreement with the US on deliveries of F-16s and modification kits of F-16s and deliveries of F-35s to Greece. A major package has been negotiated, so that should be okay. Now, remaining with Hungary. Prime Minister Orban is a slightly unpredictable fellow, but I would guess that he can't hold off for very long. So I would hope, expect this process to be wrapped up within a couple of weeks.
What about British generals and others warning for the danger of a major war in Europe?
There have been a couple of such voices. I don’t think they signify anything that is imminent in terms of dangers, but they signify a concern. What might happen if the war between Russia, the aggression, if that continues? If we don't have sufficient support for Ukraine, if Ukraine doesn't succeed, then that could well be the beginning of a much more major war and a much more severe security challenge for all of Europe. So I think what you hear, from different generals, should be seen in that rather serious light.
FILE PHOTO: A Turkish F-16 pilot taxis past another Turkish Air Force F-16 at the 3rd Main Jet Air Base in central Turkey's city of Konya.
Turkey gets F-16s, Greece gets F-35s, and Sweden gets one step closer to NATO
Alliances involve a delicate dance. Turkey’s parliament formally approved Sweden’s entry into NATO last week, finally removing the biggest impediment to Stockholm’s accession. In exchange, the US State Department has notified Congress it will now approve the sale of 40 F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, plus kits to modernize Ankara's existing “Vipers.” Not a bad deal, but Turkey really wants what its rivals/allies across the Aegean are getting: the F-35.
The Biden administration is moving forward with a $9 billion sale to Greece of 20 top-of-the-line Lockheed F-35 stealth fighter jets. Call it a perk of good relations. Turkey, on the other hand, lost its chance to buy the newest gear after purchasing Russian anti-air missiles in 2019, against strenuous American objections.
And there’s a lot at stake in the balance of air power between the two nominal NATO allies, as they dispute control over areas of the Aegean Sea. Starting in the 1990s, multiple dogfights between Greek and Turkish pilots have resulted in deaths, with the most recent in 2018. When the Greeks have been flying less capable French-made Mirage jets they have tended to get the worst of it, so leapfrogging over Turkey’s air power could shift the status quo in their favor.
Congress will have 15 days to review the deals. We’ll then have our eye on Hungary, the last remaining holdout against Sweden joining NATO. Considering Budapest has nowhere near the economic, military, or political heft of Ankara – and asked Stockholm for negotiations – we’re watching for a considerably smaller concession.
Detail of a metope that forms part of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, is displayed at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023.
Everything is political™: Ancient sculptures edition
Sometimes life imitates art. Sometimes art imitates life. And sometimes — sometimes — art actually screws up a summit between two European heads of state. This week, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak abruptly canceled a meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis after the Greek leader demanded the return of the so-called “Elgin marbles” in a BBC interview. London says the Greeks had promised not to raise the issue publicly. Athens denies this.
What are the Elgin marbles? A set of sculptures from the Parthenon, the famous ancient Greek temple in Athens. They have been on display at the British Museum since the 19th century, when the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire – Lord Elgin – plucked them off the badly neglected and half-wrecked Parthenon, which at the time was under Ottoman rule.
The government of modern Greece has long demanded their return to Athens. In 2009 the government even opened a swanky new museum to house the treasures. But the British have refused to hand them over. For one thing, London points out, Elgin had Ottoman permission to remove the artworks, which would otherwise have suffered further neglect and destruction.
But more importantly, a 1963 British law meant to shield artworks from politically motivated decisions actually prohibits the British Museum from repatriating works of art altogether. That law has come under fresh scrutiny amid wider debates about whether European museums should return items taken from former colonies.
Is Sunak OK? Using the marbles dispute to cancel a meeting that was meant to focus on “Gaza, Ukraine, climate, and migration” seems distinctly artless. It’s true that Sunak’s Conservative Party is especially adamant that the sculptures should stay in England. And yes, the PM is struggling with a sluggish economy and an intra-party split over immigration. But the Parthenon sculptures are hardly red meat for his base, and in any event, Athens has reportedly been nearing a quiet compromise with the British Museum.
The best explanation we’ve seen: a text message that someone on the EU Commission evidently sent to our Eurasia Group pal Mujtaba Rahman: “Has Sunak lost his marbles?”The newly elected leader of Syriza leftist party, Stefanos Kasselakis, delivers a statement to the members of the press outside the party's headquarters in Athens, Greece, September 25, 2023.
Ex-Goldman banker takes helm of Greek leftist party
Stefanos Kasselakis, a Miami-based former investment banker and shipping magnate, is taking the helm of Greece’s left-wing Syriza Party, which was left bloodied by June’s general election.
The crushing defeat – the party won less than a quarter of the national vote – led to Alexis Tsipras’s resignation as leader.
On Sunday, Kasselakis won 56% of the party’s vote to succeed Tsipras as leader. His unlikely victory in the historically communist and anti-fascist party’s leadership election comes amid a booming economy that contrasts sharply with the austerity Greeks faced under Syriza’s last government.
Who is Kasselakis? Until recently, he was a no-name in Greek politics — and he didn’t even live in Greece full-time. As a youth, he earned a scholarship to the prestigious Philips Academy in Massachusetts and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
He took a job at Goldman Sachs after graduating but soon founded his own shipping company. Kasselakis reportedly earned a reputation for dealing well with distressed assets after successfully selling off five of the company’s ships in 2022.
But his political resume is thin: He debuted as an at-large candidate for Syriza in the June elections (expatriates are allowed to run), but he didn’t even win the seat.
Then, late last month, he released a campaign video explaining his life and arguing he was the right man to defeat sitting Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The handsome, young, openly gay Kasselakis said he had seen first-hand capitalists “buying cheaply other people’s labor” and how “arrogance makes money.”
The video took off, and buoyed by its success, Kasselakis sprang into action, visiting the areas most severely affected by recent wildfires and floods to criticize the government’s response. He also visited an Aegean island where thousands of Greek communists were imprisoned after the country’s civil war, underlining his sympathies to Syriza’s left wing.
Just 19 days after publishing the video, he beat leading establishment candidate Eftychia "Effie" Achtsioglou in the first round of the leadership contest by 9 percentage points.
A new Syriza? Kasselakis’s overtures to Syriza’s historical leftism notwithstanding, the party ideology might be just that: historical. Prof. Michael Rossi, who teaches modern Greek politics at Rutgers University, says Kasselakis’s ascension is a sign that Syriza is moderating its left-wing populism to survive.
The ruling center-right New Democracy Party took a comfortable lead in the June elections, energized by Greece’s strong economy. It’s a sharp contrast with the austerity measures Greece was forced to adopt during Syriza’s only term in government from 2015-2019. They came to power after the collapse of the traditional center-left party PASOK, which had been left holding the bag after the global financial crisis triggered a Greek sovereign debt crisis in 2009.
“A vote for Syriza in the past was a vote against New Democracy, against PASOK, against the European Central Bank. And then once they get into power, they realize that they can't do much without long-term cooperation with other parties,” says Rossi. “How we get the Goldman Sachs guy speaking on their behalf is very simple: Syriza is now filling in the gaps of what PASOK once was.”
But unseating New Democracy will be challenging. The Greek economy is growing at twice the eurozone average, and unemployment is at the lowest level in a decade. The Mitsotakis government has cut taxes and raised the minimum wage while simultaneously reducing debt so that the country is currently ahead of schedule in paying back its bailout loans. A strong record to carry into elections no matter how you slice it.
That said, there is a lot of debt to be repaid — 166% of GDP, to be precise. And while unemployment may be lower, 11% is no walk in the park. Neither is persistent inflation amid rising food and energy costs as nearly one in five Greeks lives below the national poverty line.
This may open a window for Syriza under Kasselakis to build a base among those who still feel left behind in preparation for the next election no later than 2027 – though Rossi says it is unlikely to be large enough to totally unseat the incumbents. Instead, he says, a larger Syriza minority in parliament could limit New Democracy’s coalition options, or even spark a grand left-right coalition.
“Is it possible at some point in the future that a former Goldman Sachs head of Syriza could work with New Democracy?” he asks, answering with: “Hey, this is Europe.”