The last of the greats

Constantinos Mitsotakis's death truly signals the end of an era. This was a man made of different stuff, a unique individual shaped by his experiences. From the hours he spent waiting in a cell to be executed by the Germans and on, he experienced things that can only be learned in history books. He was the most complex, and possibly the most misunderstood politician in postwar Greece.

Mitsotakis was a European statesman who stood with confidence beside other European leaders of his generation. A par excellence proponent of the school of realism in economics and foreign policy, he often adopted advanced policies that took a political toll. He didn't mind being dragged over the coals, however, thanks to his overoptimistic confidence. He was a tough political rival, but knew the damage serious division could wreak. His address in Parliament shortly after the assassination of...