Globalization needs ‘course correction,’ Obama says

Journalists traveling with Obama aren’t being permitted to witness the event.

Step-by-step, Mr Obama listed the values of USA democracy that he and fellow Democrats in the United States have accused Mr Trump of violating during his presidential campaign, an implicit call on his successor to change course.

During his time in Berlin, he will also huddle with the leaders of Britain, France and Italy, as European leaders desperately seek clues to future U.S. policy in a Trump world.

Much of Mr Obama’s news conference with Mr Tsipras concerned the Greek economy. Party leader Panayiotis Lafazanis also blamed the US for Greece’s economic woes.

President Obama arrived in the Greek capital Tuesday morning, beginning a week-long foreign trip in which he will serve as an unlikely emissary of President-elect Donald Trump.

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) reviews a presidential honor guard during the official welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace in Athens, Greece, Nov. 15, 2016.

Obama plans to return to Greece next year as a tourist, Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura revealed.

He has emphasized a message that pushes back against the forces of isolationism and calls for the benefits of technology and globalization to be more broadly shared. Obama spoke out in defense of his agenda: the Iran-nuclear deal, a global climate change pact, establishing relations with Cuba and more. He says globalization is feeding a rising “tribalism” and “nationalism” that breeds “suspicion” of institutions.

Obama also praised the European Union for remaining one of the “great political achievements in human history”.

He added: “The current path of globalisation demands a course correction”.

Rioters pulled back to the Athens Polytechnic university complex, site of a 1973 student uprising, and engaged in running street fights with police, throwing dozens of petrol bombs. “Democracy is bigger than any one person”.

Obama’s reassurances reflect an attempt to ease the deep concerns about Trump and the future of America’s treaty alliances. So perhaps President Obama felt more comfortable talking about it on his trip to Europe, where it’s a thing people already admit is happening, vs. here in the United States, where our media is pretending something else is going on.

“Democracy depends on a peaceful transition of power, especially when you don’t get the results that you want”, he said.

The previous day, Obama advocated for debt relief from Europe and an end to austerity-only measures to help the economy recover, though it’s not clear where Trump will stand on those issues when he assumes office next year.

He said the effects can be psychological as well, making people “less certain of their national identities or their place in the world”.

“Open, democratic societies can deliver more prosperity because when people are free to think for themselves and share ideas and discover and create – including on the internet – that’s when innovations are unleashed”, he said.

President Barack Obama lauded the importance of democracy in a speech in Athens today, and warned against the dangers of isolationist policies.

The president earlier offered the Greeks reassuring words about the US commitment to NATO, saying Democratic and Republican administrations alike recognize the importance of the alliance to the trans-Atlantic relationship.

Obama has argued that Western governments need to address the underlying issues driving economic anxiety before being consumed by populist backlash.

In warning against rising nationalism, Obama also argued against support of authoritarian governments overseas, in an apparent effort to discourage countries from turning to Russian President Vladimir Putin and similar strongmen.