Democracy

Turkey's initiatives to shift to democracy and the multi-party regime during the 1945-1950 years have brought along new breaths of fresh air in the media sector, as in many other sectors.

Countries obviously do not have feelings. They operate with absolute cynicism, in accordance with their capabilities, interests and the global balance of power and, ostensibly, according to the principles governing their political system. One could also say that they usually act on the basis of a certain rationale, in the practical rather than moral sense, aiming to serve their goals.

It has become commonplace in contemporary political discourse to lament what is perceived to be a crisis in liberal democracy.

Our political systems don't work anymore, it is claimed. Classic notions and institutions no longer inspire confidence, particularly among younger citizens. More and more people are openly expressing doubts about the merits of democratic governance.

In the wake of a spate of vandalism and crime in central Athens, representatives of the business community and the capital's mayor on Thursday called on the government to take action. 

"The state must eventually do its job," said Constantinos Michalos, president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ancient Athens was the birthplace of democracy. The spiritual home of the political system that's now championed day after day across Europe.

The quality of a country's media largely determines its democracy. Greece always had a problem in this area, mainly because a large chunk of its media survived due to clientelism.

A change was needed and this came about in part due to the financial crisis, which led to the fall of many media firms.

Greece needs a robust opposition party that will be able to form an efficient and effective government when the time comes.

The two-day New Democracy conference that took place in Athens over the weekend presented the leadership with an excellent opportunity to promote fresh faces and inject new ideas that could give the conservative party some much-needed rejuvenation.

It is difficult to care about our country and to put our faith in people in whom we do not have great confidence, in the hope that they will do their best for us all. This is the citizens' fate under any regime - monarchy, dictatorship, democracy - with the difference that in a democracy we can hope the electoral cycle will set things right.

To many German Social Democrats it sounds like a monster that will destroy their party if not democracy itself: the GroKo.

Debates in Parliament are about politicians being held to account. This is a basic element of democracy from when it was created. It is about politicians being accountable to those who elected them and informing them honestly and clearly. This means keeping sophisms and fireworks to a minimum. This is not an obligation that weighs just on the government, but also on the opposition.