The Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Pierre Moscovici dubbed former Greek Finance Minister Yianis Varoufalis an “rampant narcissist” in his latest book titled “If it is midnight in the century”. “He (Varoufakis) hated Dijsselbloem and rejected any negotiations making Greece lose six valuable months”, hew writes in the book. As daily newspaper “Kathimerini” reports, Moscovici characterised the former Greek Minister a “rampant narcissist that cannibalised the discussions”.

He claims his behaviour during the negotiations made his EU counterparts adopt a contentious and competitive stance towards him and the Greek government. Describing the first six months of the coalition government of SYRIZA-ANEL in power, Moscovici says that the decision by MP Alexis Tsipras to choose Varoufakis, who used academic jargon during talks and appeared in eccentric attire at the the meetings, while constantly being drawn to the media spotlight with his narcissism, led to Varoufakis “cannibalising the talks for some months”.

“He (Varoufakis) brought to the fore his political disagreement Wolfgang Schauble and his -almost physical, as I can confirm- dislike towards Jeroen Dijsselbloem”, Moscovivi notes. The French politician goes on in his book to point out that Varoifakis contributed to the raising tense in the discussions by rejecting any negotiation, “knocking out any audience with his endless and full of contempt repetitive speeches, causing despair and a toughening of his partners’ stance”.