For another year, the Grand Resort in Lagonissi hosted the Economist conference on Southeast Europe, which included important international personalities, such as Mario Draghi, Ahmet Davutoglu, Francis Fukuyama, This year’s Finance Nobel laureate Daron Atsemoglou, And many others.

On Tuesday, July 1, 2025 a panel that stole the impressions was the one in which the Pierre Moscovici, First President of the French Court of Auditors (Cour des Comptes), former European Commissioner Martin Sultz, Former President of the European Parliament and the Anna Diamantopoulou, President of the Network for Reform in Greece and Europe, a former European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

The main theme of the debate was the rise of the far -right and the causes behind it.

The speakers agreed that fear is a central feeling that feeds on the rise of the far right. Participants acknowledged that “there is no far -right”, but its multiple manifestations. Mr Sults noted that: “Until recently they wanted to destroy Europe, now they want to conquer it.”

Mr Moscovici emphasized the need for investment, referring to the Draghi and Letta reports as pillars of thought on which the EU strategy can rely on.

For its part, former European Labor Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou stressed that the rise of the far -right cannot be rendered exclusively and
Only in economic inequalities and generally in economic factors. He noted that we must not forget that the far -right has raised its rates very significantly and in some cases even ruled, in countries with very good financial situation and excellent performance in social indicators, such as Austria, Sweden, and Germany. He stressed that focusing only on the “war” economy and the increase in defense spending will work negatively on European citizens and major and new social needs.

The problem, he added, is multidimensional and has deep social roots, and debt of social democracy is to win the electorate again that it has reliable and serious solutions to the socio -economic problems of the 21st century but also in the problems of culture and identity.