Simitis, Konstantinos

▪ 1997

      Following months of political paralysis in Greece caused by the failing health of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, Konstantinos Simitis was selected on Jan. 18, 1996, by Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) parliamentary deputies to succeed the ailing leader. During his first months in office, Simitis's aim was to move Greece's socialist government into the European mainstream. He advocated a moderate foreign policy, gradual privatization, and a plan for economic stability that would help Greece follow European Union (EU) policies in preparation for an EU single currency. In August Simitis, confident that Pasok had grown in popularity during his brief tenure, called for an early election. Initial statistics showed Simitis's approval rating at about 70%, but the race between him and conservative New Democracy candidate Miltiades Evert took on a competitive edge when, in the first weeks of the campaign, the polls showed the candidates running neck and neck. Simitis pulled steadily ahead, however, and was elected on Sept. 22, 1996, to serve four years in office.

      Born on June 23, 1936, in Athens, "Kostas" was the son of George Simitis, an attorney and prominent leftist politician. Like his father, Simitis pursued a career in law and government, receiving both a bachelor's and a J.D. degree (1959) from the University of Marburg, Ger. He did postgraduate studies at the London School of Economics (1961-63). Simitis practiced law and in 1971 worked as a lecturer at the University of Konstanz, Ger. By the end of that year, he had become a full professor of commercial and civil law at Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Ger. Simitis also participated in clandestine political activities against the 1967-74 ruling dictatorship. For five years (1969-74) he was exiled in Germany, where he continued to be active in Greek liberation politics, arranging public meetings, producing radio broadcasts, lecturing, and writing articles for publications that opposed the junta.

      After the junta collapsed in 1974, Simitis returned to Greece and assisted in the formation of Pasok. From 1977 to 1981 he was a professor of commercial law at the Pantion University of Political Sciences, Athens. In the years after 1981, when Pasok first became the ruling party in Greece, Simitis served as a member of parliament for the district of Piraeus and held such portfolios as agriculture (1981-85), national economy (1985-87), education (1989), and industry, energy, technology and commerce (1993-95). (KATHERINE I. GORDON)

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▪ prime minister of Greece

in full  Konstantinos Georgiou Simitis , byname  Kostas Simitis 

born June 23, 1936, Athens, Greece

      legal scholar and politician who served as prime minister of Greece from 1996 to 2004.

      Simitis was the son of George Simitis, an attorney and prominent leftist politician; both his parents were active in the Resistance during World War II. He received a bachelor's degree and a doctor of jurisprudence degree (1959) from the Philipps University of Marburg in West Germany and also studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science (1961–63). After a military junta took power in Greece in 1967, Simitis participated in clandestine political activities directed against the regime. In order to avoid arrest, he went into exile in West Germany (1969), where he became a professor of commercial and civil law at Justus Liebig University in Giessen. While in exile, he continued to oppose the junta through lecturing, publishing articles, and other activities.

      When the junta collapsed in 1974, Simitis returned to Greece and became a founder of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). In 1977 he was appointed professor of commercial law at the Panteios University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens. After PASOK came to power in 1981, he held a number of government positions, including the portfolios of agriculture (1981–85), national economy (1985–87), education and religious affairs (1989–90), and energy, industry, technology, and commerce (1993–95); he also served as a member of parliament for the district of Piraeus. On January 18, 1996, PASOK deputies in parliament chose him to succeed the ailing prime minister, Andreas Papandreou (Papandreou, Andreas).

      As prime minister, Simitis attempted to move Greece's socialist government into the European mainstream. He advocated a moderate foreign policy, gradual privatization of Greece's large public sector, and a plan for economic stability in accord with the policies of the European Union. In August 1996 he called for early elections and on September 22 won a four-year term. In general elections held in April 2000, PASOK was triumphant and Simitis was returned to office for a second term. Simitis implemented austerity measures aimed at reducing Greece's inflation and the national debt; his policies were rewarded in 2001, when Greece was officially admitted to the euro zone. Despite large-scale protests, Simitis engineered passage in 2002 of a law that overhauled the country's social security and pension systems. His second term was also dominated by efforts to resolve the longstanding dispute with Turkey over the status of Cyprus. Simitis retired as prime minister following the general elections of 2004.

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