Searching for Andreas: Political Leadership in Times of Crisis

Searching for Andreas is an independent production about the pitfalls of charismatic leadership and the limits of democratic politics under economic globalization. Charismatic leaders build personalistic parties and undermine political institutions, while their succession is fraught with difficulties. Searching for Andreas explores peoples’ reliance on such leaders by examining the life and legacy of one of Europe’s most controversial leaders, Andreas G. Papandreou. Was he a socialist reformer or a populist manipulator? Regardless of what one thinks, his legacy is still felt in Greece 28 years after his death. When the financial crisis hit Greece in 2009, a political representation crisis turned into a legitimation crisis, which was partly responsible for the rise of populist and anti-establishment movements. Greek political developments following the global financial crisis undoubtedly mirror developments in the European and global commons. Indeed, the tensions between austerity, dictated by economic globalization, and democratic politics are manifesting themselves across the world, from Italy to Argentina. The film is a cautionary tale about over-reliance on charismatic leaders and the challenges that democracies face in our times.