The metamorphosis of Greek-German relations

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomes Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the Chancellery in Berlin, January 20. [Reuters]

Public opinion plays a role in democracies. The extent to which polls influence the political decision-making process is a matter of dispute among experts. This applies to domestic politics, and also to foreign policy making. A majority of Greeks have a negative opinion of Germany. This is confirmed by several recent polls. Sentiment reached a low point at the end of 2021, when, according to one survey, a mere 4 percent of respondents viewed Germany as a friendly country. The opinion poll coincided with the end of the era of Angela Merkel at the helm of the German government. In the history of bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Greece, this era has been a period of crises.

It is noteworthy that official relations are markedly better than the sentiments on the street and in the coffee shops. Also, in recent months there has been a marked...

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