In brief
- Greek court to hear case Yanis Varoufakis incited drug use through podcast comments.
- The remarks referred to taking ecstasy at a Sydney Kylie Minogue concert in 1989.
Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has condemned his prosecution in Greece over remarks about experimenting with ecstasy in Sydney nearly 40 years ago as "politically motivated", warning the case reflects a deeper institutional decline in Europe.
"The one takeaway from this sordid affair is that in Europe, our justice system, our media, our political system are deconstructing themselves," Varoufakis told SBS Greek on Monday.
"They're fragmenting, they're losing their substance. They're being weaponised in a very insidious and dangerous drift towards the fascist right."
Varoufakis said the allegations against him lacked merit and stemmed from remarks intended as a warning about addiction rather than encouragement of drug use.
"The merits of the case are non-existent, so I'm not going to honour a false prosecution, a politically motivated one, by mentioning the fact that I was simply talking to youngsters and I was trying to convey to them the great danger of taking a drug, whether it's today or 37 years ago, as in my case," he said.
"The great danger is addiction and that they have to tie themselves on a mast that prevents them from falling into the trap of Satan. That's addiction."
From Sydney festival memory to criminal charge
The 64-year-old was formally charged by Greek prosecutors in February with "inciting others in the illegal use of narcotics" following remarks made to 3026: Human Algorithm — a satirical, futuristic-themed podcast released in early 2026, pitched for a younger audience.
During the interview, the economics professor, who briefly served as Greece's finance minister during the country's 2015 debt crisis negotiations, spoke about his brush with drugs decades earlier, including taking an ecstasy pill during a Kylie Minogue concert after a Sydney Mardi Gras parade in 1989.
Varoufakis holds dual Greek and Australian citizenship. He lived in Australia for over a decade, lecturing at the University of Sydney from 1988 to 2000.
He also acknowledged having used marijuana in the past, admitting he was still partial but: "I can't find it, and no one will give it to me."
Varoufakis recalled the ecstasy experience as initially enjoyable — allowing him to dance for hours — but said the days that followed were marred by a severe migraine that discouraged him from ever taking drugs again.
Varoufakis said he had chosen to answer candidly when asked about past drug use.
"Determined not to do a Bill Clinton (remember the laughable 'I didn't inhale'?), I said I had," he wrote to X last month, referencing a heavily ridiculed comment made by Clinton during his 1992 presidential campaign, intended to downplay his experimentation with marijuana.
Greek prosecutors allege the comments amounted to encouraging the illegal use of narcotics, forming the basis of the indictment now before the courts.
If convicted, Varoufakis faces a prison sentence of at least six months and fines of up to €50,000 ($82,159).
The self-styled "erratic Marxist", who previously served under the left-wing Syriza government, is now general secretary of the small leftist party MeRA25. He holds particular appeal among young voters disillusioned with mainstream politics.
December hearing looms
Varoufakis is scheduled to appear before a Greek court on 16 December to answer the charges.
In public statements following the indictment, he has described the prosecution as "ridiculous" and argued it must be viewed within a broader political shift towards the right across western democracies.
He has also accused the conservative government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of enabling far-right figures within its ranks and using the courts to target political opponents.
His party, MeRA25, has similarly criticised the case, saying it reflects an attempt to silence a political leader over remarks about a decades-old personal experience.
"The idea of a political party leader standing trial for referring to his experience with substances many decades ago is not a random and innocent blunder," it said in a statement last month.
The December hearing will determine whether the case proceeds in the Greek courts.
Varoufakis completed a speaking tour in Australia last week, with appearances in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney as a guest of The Australia Institute.
— This story was produced in collaboration with SBS Greek.
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