The 21 Greek MEPs and the challenges ahead

In the new, very different European Parliament that came out of the elections in the 27 member-states, Greece will have to fight hard to promote its interests and maximize the benefits it gets from the EU.

A main tool to achieve this is cooperation, on two fronts: First, among the 21 Greek members of the new parliament that will be present in Brussels and Strasbourg, and second – and maybe more important – within the European political groups that New Democracy, SYRIZA, PASOK and the other five parties that managed to get above 3% of the vote will belong to.

Promoting a European security framework, effectively dealing with the continuing immigration crisis and navigating through the green transition, given its short-term costs to the economy, are among the many issues of concern to Greece, regardless of which specific party one belongs to.

In addition to the obvious fact that our participation in Europe has clear benefits in many sectors, from the modernization of the economy to the digital transformation and from health to education, Greece cannot afford to be left on its own on a number of fronts.

Dealing with crises – more floods and fires have become the “new normal” and a harsh reality for the country – will require preventive and innovative actions from the government in Athens, but also coordinated moves on many levels of the European decision-making process, including in the Parliament.

For all those reasons, and many more, the Greek MEPs that were elected on Sunday will have their work cut out for them during the next five years. All indications are that we are faced with a less cooperative European Parliament in which a combative atmosphere will prevail.

The hope is that they will prove to be up to the task and able to push certain policies during the debates that will take place within the different committees they will participate in, although a number of them seem to lack the necessary qualities to achieve this.