The strongest bulwark against populism is to listen to the citizens and be effective, the Prime Minister points out in an article in the Economist magazine that deals with dealing with populism, current issue in Europe and internationally.

“The country I inherited when I was elected Prime Minister in 2019 was widely regarded as the patient of Europe. Today, Greece is in a different position” emphasizes the Prime Minister.

As he points out, there is no single, horizontal solution for dealing with the rise of populism. However, there are deep-rooted issues, he notes, citing as an example the European liberal establishment, to which he belongs, which he explains is still largely unable or unwilling to accept that the grievances fueling the current of populism are real.

“The four years that followed (in 2015) taught me that populists promise everything, but in the end their promises are big mouths, avery empty and completely unattainable” Mr. Mitsotakis also mentions.

“The answer to combating such extremism lies in in the implementation of effective policieshaving at the same time the readiness to question or even reject your beliefs and preconceived notions, when this is necessary” observes the prime minister.

“In the end, of course, the strongest bulwark against populism is to listen to the citizens and be effective (…) When mistakes are made, they must be acknowledged. And the ability to show that you make a difference is required, not just to make excessive promises,” says Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“I was clear that, as long as the economy is strong, the fiscal surplus we generate above our targets will be used to support the most vulnerable households” still committed to government policy.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ article in detail (unofficial translation)

“The tumultuous history of Greek politics since 1945 shows that where there is a vacuum there is often trouble. This was never more evident than in the decade following the global financial crisis that erupted in 2007, when the country slowly but inexorably found itself in the throes of populism’s empty promises.

Greece’s “embrace” with a populist government was relatively short. But the damage was deep. The country I inherited when elected Prime Minister in 2019 was widely regarded as the sick man of Europe.

Today Greece is in a different position. In 2023 we were declared “Country of the Year” by the “Economist”. We also won the top spot in the magazine’s economy ranking for two consecutive years. In last summer’s election the left-wing populists’ vote share collapsed and my party was re-elected into government for a second term, with an increased percentage.

However, post-pandemic, amid war, energy crisis, immigration challenges and high inflation, the same populist impulses that we managed to tackle in Greece are re-emerging in much of the rest of Europe.

This begs the question: what can we learn from Greece’s experience from 2019 onwards as to why this is happening and what we should do?

There is no single, horizontal solution to dealing with the rise of populism. However, there are deep-rooted issues.

Take citizen complaints for example. Even now the European liberal establishment, of which I am a part, is still largely unable or unwilling to accept that the grievances that feed the tide of populism – from globalization to the rising cost of living – are real and expressed in sincerity.

It is an approach that manifests itself in the form of “us and them” and says: “we know better”. Such arrogant self-confidence is destructive. It blinds us to the plight of citizens, clouds our judgment about which issues to prioritize, and ultimately alienates voters.

In 2015, Greece was at the forefront of the rise of populism. The country’s first populist government was elected in January of that year and re-elected eight months later. In this way, Greece found itself with the “full package” of populist ideology: a hybrid coalition of the extremes of both the hard left and the hard right.

The following four years taught me that populists promise everything, but in the end their promises are big mouthed, completely empty and completely unattainable.

The answer to combating such extremes lies in the implementation of effective policies, while being prepared to challenge or even reject your beliefs and preconceived notions when necessary. This means being ready to adapt quickly to events with a global footprint and adopt a new triangular logic: pro-growth but fiscally responsible, strong on immigration and assertive on security, alongside a strong foreign policy, and socially liberal at home.

In the economy, we focused on growth: lowering taxes, supporting entrepreneurship, stimulating investment through market reforms. But we also understood the importance of staying fiscally responsible. The result was one of the highest growth rates in the eurozone and a rapid decline in the debt-to-GDP ratio. The credit rating agencies rewarded us, restoring Greece’s creditworthiness to investment grade.

On immigration, we implemented tighter border controls without hesitation. At the same time, however, we have significantly reduced the time it takes to process asylum applications, improved conditions in reception centers and opened up legal avenues for worker mobility. In foreign policy, we created new regional partnerships around trade, security and energy. And in our relations with Turkey, we faced the challenges head on, while keeping the door of dialogue open.

These reforms allowed me to focus on a more liberal social platform at home: tackling inequalities, improving public services through digitization, and even tackling progressive issues like marriage equality. I have been clear that, as long as the economy is strong, the budget surplus we generate above our targets will be used to support the most vulnerable households.

Between the 2019 and 2023 elections, citizens saw rapid changes. Unemployment fell, growth skyrocketed after the pandemic and we regained the confidence of markets and foreign investors. At the same time, the country turned towards the green and digital economy of the future. Greece has found a new voice closer to the center of the European Union. Relations with Turkey began to improve.

Greece’s application for funding from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the main tool of the EU’s recovery plan from the Covid-19 pandemic, was one of the largest among member states and was approved before any other country. The European Commission recognized how our strategic use of the funds was intertwined with our development strategy: promoting a strong recovery and a more resilient economy and society.

The resounding election victory last June proved that this approach works. It was indeed possible to create a new coalition of left and right voters against populism.

Our victory showed that it was possible to narrow the margins of the populists, keeping our traditional right and center-right voters happy and also broadening our party’s appeal to Greeks who identify as centrist or even center-left. Far-right parties got 12%, but this performance was far weaker than in most European countries. In an era of widespread cynicism, Greece has shown that politics can be done differently.

In the end, of course, the strongest bulwark against populism is to listen to citizens and be effective. The accolades this paper has bestowed on Greece won’t mean much if its economy doesn’t grow and can’t generate the additional revenue needed to support health system reforms and improve public education. For Greece, the fight against populism will continue to be about creating fair economic growth, and at the same time convergence with a progressive, centrist Europe.

To do this requires honesty. When mistakes are made, they must be acknowledged. And it takes the ability to show you’re making a difference, not just over-promise. But above all it requires clarity. You have to explain why, for example, the investment grade is not only linked to meeting market requirements, it means lower borrowing costs for citizens’ mortgages. Or why it’s important to attract foreign investment to create more well-paying jobs.

This matters because at its core every aspect of politics – without necessarily always being local – is always about the individual, the family and the well-being of the household. Only if we achieve this can we begin to restore trust and defeat populism.”