Opposition party MeRA25 has fiercely condemned Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, labelling his recent comments about autistic children as “Nazi-like.” The criticism follows Dendias’ suggestion, made during a Rotary Club event, that children with autism could be employed in military AI target recognition for drones. MeRA25 described his comments as “unacceptable,” stating that “autistic children need social support and care, not to be exploited for military purposes.”

Dendias proposed the creation of a specialised school to support children of military personnel with autism, suggesting that their skills in pattern recognition could contribute to AI systems for drone targeting. “We will create a school where children of military personnel with autism can be supported,” Dendias said. “Their unique potential—such as recognising subtle details in photos—is valuable in AI. Our AI systems need vast datasets, and autistic children, who can see fine differences, could help train these systems, as seen in Israel’s specialised units.”

MeRA25 responded with strong condemnation, equating Dendias’ proposal to “the recruitment of child soldiers in conflict zones,” and accusing him of instrumentalising autistic children as “unknowing killers.” The party criticised his reference to Israel’s military as an example, describing it as a force engaged in “genocide and crimes against humanity.”

The party’s statement continued, “Children with autism, like all disabled individuals, deserve unqualified social and moral support without conditions or exploitation.” MeRA25 denounced what it described as a “Nazi-like” mindset, where people with disabilities are valued only if they contribute economically to what they called an “oligarchic system.” They accused Dendias, Prime Minister Mitsotakis, and the ruling New Democracy party of prioritising elite interests over public welfare, leaving vulnerable groups unsupported unless they can serve financial or strategic purposes.

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