Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis shared his perspective on the “woke agenda” during a conversation with Enrico Letta, President of the Jacques Delors Institute and former Italian Prime Minister.
The discussion took place at an event organized by the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce in Athens on Tuesday, January 21. The central theme of the event was “The Future of Europe in a Fast-Changing World – Leadership and Global Challenges.”
Addressing his stance on gender, Mitsotakis stated, “I personally believe that there are two genders, male and female. This is my view, based on biology. Naturally, every country has its own culture and unique characteristics, but it is important to express this clearly.”
Turning to political trends in the United States, Mitsotakis commented on the “Donald Trump phenomenon” and attributed part of Trump’s resurgence to the growing influence of extreme elements within the woke movement.
“I have previously noted that the extreme positions of the woke agenda in the US triggered a strong counter-reaction, causing the pendulum to swing sharply in the opposite direction. This reaction is, in many ways, natural,” he explained.
Mitsotakis emphasised, however, that Europe differs significantly from the United States in this regard. He argued that the extreme elements of the woke agenda, which are most prominent on the liberal campuses of elite American universities, have not gained traction in Europe.
“I do not observe similar issues in Europe that would provoke such reactions. This is mainly an American phenomenon,” he stated.
On Greek-American relations, Mitsotakis highlighted that ties between the two countries are stronger than ever. “We have a five-year defense cooperation agreement, but our relationship extends well beyond defense into areas like advanced technologies, education, and culture,” he remarked.
Commenting on the rise of the far-right in both Europe and the United States, Mitsotakis acknowledged the presence of such trends but suggested that Greece has been more successful in managing the issue.
“In Greece, we have been able to contain this to a significant extent. That said, there is still a portion of the population that chooses to support parties positioned further to the right of New Democracy,” the PM concluded.
