Conference: "Europe - No, Thanks?" - Foundation Office Greece and Cyprus
Event Reports
The rise of right-wing tendencies in Greece and throughout Europe, led the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Greece to organise a panel discussion on euroscepticism.
The Head of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Greece, Susanna Vogt, welcomed the audience and made a first introduction to the topic.
The discussion comprised of two panel groups, one focusing on policy and economics and the other on the rise of the extreme.
The first panel group discussed the "Challenges for Europe lying ahead: policy and economics". The panel included Christos Dimas, Member of Parliament, who spoke on the economic and political adjustments undergoing in Greece. Moreover, Manuel Kilian, Expert for European Affairs at the Federation of German Industries, made a reference on Europe's growth potential and Germany's role in it. Furthermore, Dr.Nicholas Faranduris, Jean Monnet Professor at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus, stressed upon the energy policy and the prospect of Europe as an international energy player.
The second panel group discussed "Euroscepticism and the rise of extremist parties". The panel included Dr. Magali Balent Brisemeur, Project Director at Fondation Robert Schuman in Paris, who highlighted the French experience and, in particular, the rise of Marine Le Pen's National Front party. Moreover, Dr. Ioannis Konstantinidis of the University of Macedonia spoke about the increasing extreme and extremist tendencies in Greece. Furthermore, Nico Lange, Deputy Director in the Department of Politics and Consulting at KAS in Berlin, analyzed euroscepticism as a European phenomenon that is not always a consequence of the economic crisis.
Professor Nikolaos Kyriazis and Emmanouil-Marios Economou of the University of Thessaly closed the conference.
