What is a European statesman?

Commentators have recently suggested that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may achieve a political legacy "unmatched" by any of his recent predecessors, or that he has achieved the status of "statesman," or that, along with Zoran Zaev, his counterpart in North Macedonia, he might be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. These suggestions have been made on the basis of two distinct achievements, Greece's record of fiscal discipline over the past three and a half years and the agreement on a new name for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

These views ignore the nature of the Greek government. They also exhibit a deeply cynical view of politics.

A statesman is a leader who exercises moral leadership with a view to the long term. He, or she, resists the temptations of high office for the sake of principle. When examined more closely, the two policies of...