Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Greece this week on a two-day visit, according to an announcement on Friday from German Deputy Government Spokesman Ulrike Demmer.
Merkel, who has been Germany’s chancellor since 2005, will begin her final official visit to Greece on Thursday, October 28, a national holiday in Greece.
Merkel was invited to Greece by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during the European Union Slovenia Summit in early October. According to reports, Merkel accepted the invitation immediately.
Although a popular figure in Europe, Merkel’s popularity in Greece remains low, where the public widely disapproves of her role in imposing strict austerity measures on Greece as a condition for international bailouts. Greeks also remain generally unhappy with her handling of the refugee crisis, which has resulted in their country accommodating large numbers of migrants and refugees over the last few years.
A September poll of Greeks by the Pew Research Center found that only 30 percent of respondents had confidence in Merkel to “do the right thing” in global affairs while 32 percent had a favorable view of Germany.
Merkel has visited several countries within the past few weeks as she prepares to leave office. She recently paid a trip to Istanbul where she met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In a joint press conference, Merkel underlined the significance of Greece and Turkey maintaining open communication and working to resolve outstanding differences.
Featured photo courtesy of Max Pixel
