Prime Minister of Greece
Encyclopedia
The Prime Minister of Greece , officially the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic , is the head of government
of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet
. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos
, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank
, following George Papandreou's resignation in the wake of the country's debt crisis. The Prime Minister's official seat (but not residence) is the Maximos Mansion
in the centre of Athens
. The office is described in the Constitution either as Prime Minister or President of the Government (Πρόεδρος της Κυβερνήσεως). This is the reason why the Prime Minister is also addressed as "Mr. President".
.
According to the Article 37 of the Greek Constitution
, the President
shall appoint the leader of the political party with the absolute majority of seats in the Parliament
as Prime Minister. If no party has the absolute majority, the President
shall give the leader of the party with a relative majority an exploratory mandate in order to ascertain the possibility of forming a Government enjoying the confidence of the Parliament
. If this possibility cannot be ascertained, the President
shall give the exploratory mandate to the leader of the second largest party in Parliament, and if this proves to be unsuccessful, to the leader of the third largest party in Parliament
. Each exploratory mandate shall be in force for three days. If all exploratory mandates prove to be unsuccessful, the President
summons all party leaders, and if the impossibility to form a Cabinet enjoying the confidence of the Parliament
is confirmed, he shall attempt to form a Cabinet composed of all parties in Parliament
for the purpose of holding parliamentary elections. If this fails, he shall entrust the President of the Supreme Administrative Court
or of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court
or of the Court of Auditors
to form a Cabinet as widely accepted as possible to carry out elections and dissolves the Parliament
.
Therefore, the election of members of a certain party to Parliament
is the equivalent to a vote for that party's leader for Prime Minister.
at the Presidential Mansion:
"I swear (in the name of the Holy, Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity) to safeguard the Constitution and the laws and to serve the general interest of the Greek People."
(Greek: Μέγαρο Μαξίμου) is, as of 1982, the official seat of the Prime Minister of Greece. It is located in downtown Athens, Greece, near Syntagma Square. Although the building shelters the offices of the Head of the Greek Government, it is not used as the residence of the Prime Minister.
, different regions of Greece that were free of Ottoman
control began establishing democratic
systems for self-government, such as the Peloponnesian Senate. Meanwhile, a series of over-arching National Assemblies
, such as the First National Assembly at Epidaurus
, met from time-to-time to provide overall coordination. The First Assembly elected a 5-member executive council, which was headed by Alexandros Mavrokordatos. The Executive continued to govern Greece until 1828, when the first true national government was formed, under the direction of Ioannis Kapodistrias
, who as "Governor of Greece" was head of the state and the government. Kapodistrias was eventually assassinated in 1831 and his government, presided over by his brother Augustinos
, collapsed the following year. It was replaced by a series of collective governmental councils, which lasted until 1833, when Greece became a monarchy.
was established with the underage Bavaria
n Prince Otto
as king. Initially the government was led by a regency
council made up of Bavarians. The president of this council, Count Josef Ludwig von Armansperg
was the de facto head of government under Otto. Later Otto dismissed his Bavarian advisers and wielded power as an absolute monarch, effectively as head of state
and his own head of government.
and Andreas Metaxas
took power; he is credited with being the first Greek to formally serve as "Prime Minister."
Once the Office of Prime Minister was established, the responsibility for self-government again fell to the Greek people. However, two factors maintained significant power for the crown: the Greek party structure was weak and client-based and the monarch was free to select any member of parliament to form a government.
In 1862, Otto was finally deposed and the Greek people chose a new monarch in the person of King George I of Greece
. In the next 15 years, the party structures began to evolve into more modern ideological parties with the Nationalist Party
led by Alexandros Koumoundouros
on the right and the more liberal New Party led by Charilaos Trikoupis
. Trikoupis was successful after the election of 1874 in forcing the king to accept the "dedilomeni principle" --that the leader of the majority in parliament must be selected as prime minister by the king. The Nationalists were later led by Theodoros Deligiannis
who famously said "was against everything Trikoupis was for." This two-party system existed until 1910, even as Georgios Theotokis
took over the New Party after the death of Trikoupis in 1895 and the assassination of Deligiannis in 1905 which led to a splintering of parties on the conservative and nationalist side.
politician Eleftherios Venizelos
. His followers gathered in the Liberal Party
, which, despite Venizelos' dominant status, constituted the first true party in the modern sense, in that it was formed around a progressive, liberal and pro-republican
political agenda. It was eventually opposed by the more conservative and pro-royalist
People's Party
, initially led by Dimitrios Gounaris
. The antagonism between the two parties, and the supporters of monarchy and republicanism, would dominate the political landscape until after the Second World War.
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet
Cabinet of Greece
The cabinet of Greece , officially called the Ministerial Council , constitutes the Government of Greece. It is the collective decision-making body of the Hellenic Republic, composed of the Prime Minister and the Ministers...
. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos
Lucas Papademos
Lucas Papademos is a Greek economist who has been appointed as Prime Minister of Greece since 11 November 2011.Previously, he was Governor of the Bank of Greece from 1994 to 2002 and Vice President of the European Central Bank from 2002 to 2010...
, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank
European Central Bank
The European Central Bank is the institution of the European Union that administers the monetary policy of the 17 EU Eurozone member states. It is thus one of the world's most important central banks. The bank was established by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1998, and is headquartered in Frankfurt,...
, following George Papandreou's resignation in the wake of the country's debt crisis. The Prime Minister's official seat (but not residence) is the Maximos Mansion
Maximos Mansion
The Maximos Mansion is, as of 1982, the official seat of the Prime Minister of Greece. It is located in downtown Athens, Greece, near Syntagma Square...
in the centre of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. The office is described in the Constitution either as Prime Minister or President of the Government (Πρόεδρος της Κυβερνήσεως). This is the reason why the Prime Minister is also addressed as "Mr. President".
Election and appointment of the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is officially appointed by the President of GreecePresident of Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic , colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the head of state of Greece. The office of the President of the Republic was established after the Greek republic referendum, 1974 and formally by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The...
.
According to the Article 37 of the Greek Constitution
Constitution of Greece
The Constitution of Greece , was created by the Fifth Revisional Parliament of the Hellenes and entered into force in 1975. It has been revised three times since, most significantly in 1986, and also in 2001 and in 2008. The Constitutional history of Greece goes back to the Greek War of...
, the President
President of Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic , colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the head of state of Greece. The office of the President of the Republic was established after the Greek republic referendum, 1974 and formally by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The...
shall appoint the leader of the political party with the absolute majority of seats in the Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
as Prime Minister. If no party has the absolute majority, the President
President of Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic , colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the head of state of Greece. The office of the President of the Republic was established after the Greek republic referendum, 1974 and formally by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The...
shall give the leader of the party with a relative majority an exploratory mandate in order to ascertain the possibility of forming a Government enjoying the confidence of the Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
. If this possibility cannot be ascertained, the President
President of Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic , colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the head of state of Greece. The office of the President of the Republic was established after the Greek republic referendum, 1974 and formally by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The...
shall give the exploratory mandate to the leader of the second largest party in Parliament, and if this proves to be unsuccessful, to the leader of the third largest party in Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
. Each exploratory mandate shall be in force for three days. If all exploratory mandates prove to be unsuccessful, the President
President of Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic , colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the head of state of Greece. The office of the President of the Republic was established after the Greek republic referendum, 1974 and formally by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The...
summons all party leaders, and if the impossibility to form a Cabinet enjoying the confidence of the Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
is confirmed, he shall attempt to form a Cabinet composed of all parties in Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
for the purpose of holding parliamentary elections. If this fails, he shall entrust the President of the Supreme Administrative Court
Council of State (Greece)
In Greece, the Council of State is the Supreme Administrative Court of Greece.-Organization:...
or of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court
Court of Cassation (Greece)
The Court of Cassation is the Supreme Court of Greece for civil and criminal law. The Court of Cassation's decisions are irrevocable. If the Court of Cassation concludes that a lower court violated the law or the principles of the procedure, then it can order the rehearing of the case by the lower...
or of the Court of Auditors
Chamber of Accounts (Greece)
In Greece, the Chamber of Accounts is both an administrative organ and a Supreme Administrative Court with a special jurisdiction...
to form a Cabinet as widely accepted as possible to carry out elections and dissolves the Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
.
Therefore, the election of members of a certain party to Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
is the equivalent to a vote for that party's leader for Prime Minister.
Oath of Office
Before taking office, the Prime Minister must recite the following oath in front of the Archbishop of Athens, head of the Church of GreeceChurch of Greece
The Church of Greece , part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
at the Presidential Mansion:
"I swear (in the name of the Holy, Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity) to safeguard the Constitution and the laws and to serve the general interest of the Greek People."
Official Seat of the Prime Minister
The Maximos MansionMaximos Mansion
The Maximos Mansion is, as of 1982, the official seat of the Prime Minister of Greece. It is located in downtown Athens, Greece, near Syntagma Square...
(Greek: Μέγαρο Μαξίμου) is, as of 1982, the official seat of the Prime Minister of Greece. It is located in downtown Athens, Greece, near Syntagma Square. Although the building shelters the offices of the Head of the Greek Government, it is not used as the residence of the Prime Minister.
During the Revolution (1821–1832)
During the Greek War of IndependenceGreek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
, different regions of Greece that were free of Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
control began establishing democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
systems for self-government, such as the Peloponnesian Senate. Meanwhile, a series of over-arching National Assemblies
Greek National Assembly
The Greek National Assemblies are representative bodies of the Greek people. During and in the direct aftermath of the Greek War of Independence , the name was used for the insurgents' proto-parliamentary assemblies...
, such as the First National Assembly at Epidaurus
First National Assembly at Epidaurus
The First National Assembly of Epidaurus was the first meeting of the Greek National Assembly, a national representative political gathering of the Greek revolutionaries.The assembly opened in December 1821 at Piada...
, met from time-to-time to provide overall coordination. The First Assembly elected a 5-member executive council, which was headed by Alexandros Mavrokordatos. The Executive continued to govern Greece until 1828, when the first true national government was formed, under the direction of Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Count Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias |Academy of Athens]] Critical Observations about the 6th-Grade History Textbook"): "3.2.7. Σελ. 40: Δεν αναφέρεται ότι ο Καποδίστριας ήταν Κερκυραίος ευγενής." "...δύο ιστορικούς της Aκαδημίας κ.κ...
, who as "Governor of Greece" was head of the state and the government. Kapodistrias was eventually assassinated in 1831 and his government, presided over by his brother Augustinos
Augustinos Kapodistrias
Count Augustinos Ioannis Maria Kapodistrias was a Greek soldier and politician. He was born in Corfu. Kapodistrias was the younger brother of Ioannis Kapodistrias, first Governor of Greece...
, collapsed the following year. It was replaced by a series of collective governmental councils, which lasted until 1833, when Greece became a monarchy.
Under Otto's absolute monarchy (1832–1843)
In 1832, Greece's nascent experiment with democracy was ended and a monarchyKingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
was established with the underage Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n Prince Otto
Otto of Greece
Otto, Prince of Bavaria, then Othon, King of Greece was made the first modern King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London, whereby Greece became a new independent kingdom under the protection of the Great Powers .The second son of the philhellene King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended...
as king. Initially the government was led by a regency
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
council made up of Bavarians. The president of this council, Count Josef Ludwig von Armansperg
Josef Ludwig von Armansperg
Josef Ludwig, Graf von Armansperg served as the Interior and Finance Minister and Foreign and Finance Minister under King Ludwig I of Bavaria in the government of Bavaria...
was the de facto head of government under Otto. Later Otto dismissed his Bavarian advisers and wielded power as an absolute monarch, effectively as head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and his own head of government.
Constitutional monarchy (1843–1910)
King Otto's reign as an absolute monarch came to an end when agitators for a constitution (as had been promised when the monarchy was established) rose up in the 3 September Revolution in 1843. Otto was forced to grant a constitutionGreek Constitution of 1844
The first constitution of the Kingdom of Greece was the Greek Constitution of 1844. On 3 September 1843, the military garrison of Athens, with the help of citizens, rebelled and demanded from King Otto the concession of a Constitution....
and Andreas Metaxas
Andreas Metaxas
Andreas Metaxas was a Greek politician born on the island of Cephalonia.During the latter part of the War of Independence he accompanied Kapodistrias to Greece, and was appointed by him Minister of War...
took power; he is credited with being the first Greek to formally serve as "Prime Minister."
Once the Office of Prime Minister was established, the responsibility for self-government again fell to the Greek people. However, two factors maintained significant power for the crown: the Greek party structure was weak and client-based and the monarch was free to select any member of parliament to form a government.
In 1862, Otto was finally deposed and the Greek people chose a new monarch in the person of King George I of Greece
George I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
. In the next 15 years, the party structures began to evolve into more modern ideological parties with the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Greece)
The Nationalist Party of Greece was the conservative and expansionist political party from 1865-1909. It was opposed primarily by the New Party of Charilaos Trikoupis....
led by Alexandros Koumoundouros
Alexandros Koumoundouros
Alexandros Koumoundouros was a Greek politician. Born in Kampos Avias located in the Messenian side of the Mani Peninsula, he was the son of Spirìdonas-Galànis Koumoundoùros who was the Bey of the area during the last period of the administration of the region by the Ottoman Empire.He was a...
on the right and the more liberal New Party led by Charilaos Trikoupis
Charilaos Trikoupis
Charilaos Trikoupis was a Greek politician who served as a Prime Minister of Greece seven times from 1875 until 1895....
. Trikoupis was successful after the election of 1874 in forcing the king to accept the "dedilomeni principle" --that the leader of the majority in parliament must be selected as prime minister by the king. The Nationalists were later led by Theodoros Deligiannis
Theodoros Deligiannis
Theodoros Deligiannis, also spelled Delijannis and Deliyannis, , was a Greek statesman.-Life:He was born at Lagkadia, Arcadia. He studied law in Athens, and in 1843 entered the Ministry of the Interior, of which department he became permanent secretary in 1859. In 1862, on the deposition of King...
who famously said "was against everything Trikoupis was for." This two-party system existed until 1910, even as Georgios Theotokis
Georgios Theotokis
Georgios Theotokis was a Greek politician and four times Prime Minister of Greece. He represented the New Party or Neoteristikon Komma .- Biography :...
took over the New Party after the death of Trikoupis in 1895 and the assassination of Deligiannis in 1905 which led to a splintering of parties on the conservative and nationalist side.
Upheaval, revolts and war (1910–1946)
In 1910, military officers sparked the fall of civilian government when they issued the Goudi Pronunciamento. This event led to the arrival in Greece of the CretanCrete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
politician Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
. His followers gathered in the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Greece)
The Liberal Party was one of the major Greek political parties of the early 20th century.- History :Founded as the Xipoliton party in Crete , its early leaders were Kostis Mitsotakis and Eleftherios Venizelos...
, which, despite Venizelos' dominant status, constituted the first true party in the modern sense, in that it was formed around a progressive, liberal and pro-republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
political agenda. It was eventually opposed by the more conservative and pro-royalist
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
People's Party
People's Party (Greece)
The People's Party of Greece was a conservative and pro-monarchist political party founded by Dimitrios Gounaris, the main political rival of Eleftherios Venizelos and his Liberal Party. The party existed from 1920 until 1958....
, initially led by Dimitrios Gounaris
Dimitrios Gounaris
Dimitrios Gounaris was the Prime Minister of Greece from March 10, 1915 to August 23, 1915 and April 8, 1921 to May 16, 1922...
. The antagonism between the two parties, and the supporters of monarchy and republicanism, would dominate the political landscape until after the Second World War.