Greece confronts rising teen suicide crisis after Ilioúpoli tragedy

The death of a 17‑year‑old girl in the Ilioúpoli suburb has spotlighted a worsening wave of teenage suicides in Greece. Data from the child‑help line “Smile of the Child” show a 31.6% increase in self‑harm and suicide incidents among children and adolescents between 2021 and 2025, with the organisation handling 764 cases in 2025 alone – roughly two per day. The country records about 400‑500 teen suicides each year, making suicide the second leading cause of death for ages 15‑24 in Europe. Experts point to a complex mix of psychological pressure, social media exposure, family difficulties and inadequate mental‑health services.

Opposition party PASOK, through its mental‑health branch and MP Rania Thrascia, has condemned the government’s “inertia” and called for an approved, funded and binding National Suicide‑Prevention Strategy. They stress the need for permanent public structures, school psychologists, social workers, paediatric psychiatric services and unified care protocols, arguing that the state’s failure to act transfers the burden to families and frontline workers. The crisis has become a public‑health priority and a political flashpoint, with calls for urgent reforms ahead of the 2026 national examinations.