While acknowledging that abortion is legal in Greece, she stressed that, beyond legality, there is also a moral dimension that she considers significant.
“I respect free will; it is important and constitutionally guaranteed,” she said. “It is a matter for public consultation. Let society decide what it wants to happen.”
Karystianou said that abortion raises a particular dilemma because it concerns both a woman’s right to her own body and what she described as the rights of the foetus. Referring to her professional background, she said that as a paediatrician she feels divided and cannot prioritise one over the other. “A woman can certainly decide about her body, but in the case of abortion there is another moral issue that is very important to me,” she said, adding that a collective discussion would be more democratic.
She further stated that, in her view, from the moment a foetal heartbeat is present, a life has been created, and referred to premature infants who survive with medical support in neonatal intensive care units.
Karystianou clarified that she is not close to the Niki party or to any other political formation, and said that in recent years she had not voted because she felt that no party represented her.
Speaking about the prospect of political involvement, she expressed deep distrust in the functioning of justice, particularly in relation to political accountability. She argued that responsible ministers are not held to account in practice and voiced pessimism about the likelihood of meaningful judicial proceedings.
On ideology, she reiterated that she does not wish to adopt political labels. “The Right and the Left fit into the old political system,” she said, adding that she is approached by citizens from across the political spectrum. She argued that many politicians themselves abandon or contradict their stated ideology, particularly after elections.
“In our movement there is everyone except the very extremes,” she said. “Justice, transparency and accountability cannot belong to a specific ideology.” She stressed that she does not envisage cooperation with political parties and rejected the idea of a protest party, saying such formations often absorb public anger without producing substantive change.
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