Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleGreece charged ex-finance minister Yanis Varoufakis with promoting drug use after he admitted trying ecstasy in 1989 on a podcast. MeRA25 calls the move political. A court appearance is slated for December 2026.
ATHENS, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Greece's former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, a self-declared "erratic" Marxist, has been charged with promoting drug use after he publicly admitted to having popped an ecstasy pill nearly four decades ago, his party said.
The economics professor, who infuriated euro zone partners with his unconventional style and lectures during bailout negotiations at the peak of Greece's debt crisis in 2015, said he had once tried ecstasy or MDMA - a drug commonly associated with dance parties and raves - in Australia in 1989.
"It was a terrific experience until the days after," he said during the podcast "3026: Human Algorithm", adding that he was able to dance for hours but then suffered migraines.
He also said he had smoked marijuana in the past.
Varoufakis, now secretary of the small leftist party Mera25, is due to appear in court in December.
Reuters could not immediately reach the 64-year-old for comment.
His party issued a statement accusing Greece's conservative government of seeking to silence Varoufakis through the courts.
"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," Mera25 said.
"We will not remain silent. Neither about the provocative manipulation of the judiciary nor about the major problem of addiction."
(Reporting by Renee MaltezouEditing by Gareth Jones)
Greece has charged former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis with promoting drug use after he said he tried ecstasy in 1989. The case has drawn political reaction from his party, MeRA25.
Authorities are pursuing a case related to the alleged promotion or advertising of narcotics following his podcast remarks. The controversy centers on whether recounting past personal use constitutes incitement.
He is due to appear in court in December 2026, according to his party’s statement and subsequent reports.
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