Fifty year anniversary from Greece’s transition following the fall of the military junta of 1974 and, the restoration of democracy was celebrated with a three-day conference. Discussions began on Sunday with Evangelos Venizelos, president of think tank KYKLOS IDEON (Circle of ideas for the national reconstruction) where detailed research by Metron Analysis was presented regarding what the transition encircles and signifies. The research was presented by its head, Stratos Fanaras, and the political analyst, Yiannis Balabanidis, with interventions from journalists Pavlos Tsimas and Giorgos Kouvaras.
The intriguing research clearly depicts the intergenerational gap between younger and older ages. The study showed that young people, the so-called millennials and Gen Z covering the age group of 17-43, believe they are living meagrely compared to previous generations in that, it is the age group that experienced the economic crisis at its formative stage.
In his intervention, Mr. Venizelos pointed out that the research reveals the transition signified something beyond institutional and democratic restoration, where issues of social mobility and advancement were expressed through the victory of PASOK in 1981 under the governance of Andreas Papandreou.
The economic crisis of 2010 marked a shift in Greek society towards lower expectations, particularly affecting the current generation aged 30-40 who feel they won’t surpass their parents’ living standards. Evangelos Venizelos highlighted this, noting the generation’s precarious position. Despite efforts, research shows the crisis’s impacts remain unresolved.
The conference’s second day delved into domestic and international aspects of the era, featuring notable insights from former Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiannis Kasoulides follwoing Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Kasoulides advocated for a political solution in Cyprus, emphasizing cooperation between communities. He highlighted Athens’ supportive role in Cyprus’s EU integration.
On the conference’s final day, the focus shifted to the Greek economy’s two transitions: in 1974 and during the economic crisis. Generation Z shared perspectives on these transitions, followed by discussions on cultural narratives, aesthetics, and representations of the era. The conference concluded with a dialogue on the era’s dichotomies, underscored musically by the “ballad of the Transition,” seeking to capture its essence.
