1967 Greek legislative election

1967 Greek legislative election
Country	Greece
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	1964 Greek legislative election
Previous year	1964
Next election	1974 Greek legislative election
Next year	1974
Seats for election	All 300 seats in the Hellenic Parliament
Majority seats	151
Election date	28 May 1967
Turnout	78.7%
Leader1	Georgios Papandreou
Party1	Centre Union
Seats1	99
Popular vote1	1,038,710
Percentage1	35.3%
Leader2	Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Party2	National Radical Union
Seats2	87
Popular vote2	1,006,858
Percentage2	34.2%
Leader3	Ilias Tsirimokos
Party3	Centre Union – New Forces
Seats3	45
Popular vote3	666,544
Percentage3	22.6%
Image4	x100px
Leader4	Charilaos Florakis
Party4	United Democratic Left
Seats4	22
Popular vote4	178,802
Percentage4	6.1%
Title	Prime Minister
Before election	Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Before party	National Radical Union
After election	Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
After party	National Radical Union

1967 Greek legislative election was a pivotal political event in modern Greece, scheduled for 28 May 1967 amidst a period of intense political crisis known as the "Apostasia". The election was intended to resolve a protracted deadlock between the Centre Union and the National Radical Union, but it was preempted by the military coup d'état of 21 April 1967. Consequently, the official results, announced by the junta, are considered by historians to be fabricated and the election itself was never truly held under free and fair conditions, marking the end of democratic governance until the Metapolitefsi in 1974.

Background

The political landscape was defined by the fallout from the July 1965 dismissal of Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou by King Constantine II, an event that triggered the "Apostasia". This led to a series of unstable governments, including those led by Georgios Athanasiadis-Novas and Ilias Tsirimokos. The constitutional crisis paralyzed the Hellenic Parliament and deepened the rift between the Centre Union, loyal to Papandreou, and the conservative National Radical Union under interim Prime Minister Panagiotis Kanellopoulos. Fearing a victory by the Centre Union and its left-wing allies, powerful factions within the Hellenic Army, influenced by the CIA and motivated by anti-communist sentiment during the Cold War, began plotting intervention.

Electoral system

The election was to be conducted under the reinforced proportional representation system established by the Greek Constitution of 1952. This system allocated 250 seats through a simple proportional vote in multi-seat constituencies, with an additional 50 "bonus" seats awarded to the party winning a plurality, aiming to provide governmental stability. The entire process was overseen by the Ministry of the Interior, but the impending vote was overshadowed by significant military mobilization and political violence.

Parties and leaders

The major contenders were the centrist Centre Union, still led by the aging but influential Georgios Papandreou, and the right-wing National Radical Union led by caretaker Prime Minister Panagiotis Kanellopoulos. A significant splinter group, the Centre Union – New Forces, was led by former premier Ilias Tsirimokos. The left was represented by the United Democratic Left (EDA), under Charilaos Florakis, which acted as a legal front for the banned Communist Party of Greece. Other minor parties included the progressive Liberal Democratic Union and the far-right 4th of August Party.

Campaign

The campaign period was exceptionally tense and marred by instability. Papandreou's Centre Union, allied informally with EDA, campaigned on a platform of restoring democratic legitimacy and resuming the social reforms halted since 1965. Kanellopoulos's National Radical Union emphasized order, anti-communism, and stability. The atmosphere was charged with frequent rallies, such as those in Syntagma Square, and incidents of political violence, while rumors of an impending military coup, orchestrated by officers like Georgios Papadopoulos and Stylianos Pattakos, circulated widely. International observers, including from the United Nations, expressed concern over the deteriorating conditions.

Results

The official results, as released by the junta after it seized power, were widely discredited. They purported to show a narrow plurality for the Centre Union with 99 seats, followed by the National Radical Union with 87, Centre Union – New Forces with 45, and the United Democratic Left with 22 seats. These figures, showing a highly fragmented parliament with no clear majority, are considered fabrications designed to legitimize the coup by presenting a picture of political chaos. No credible, independent verification of the vote count exists, as the junta had already dissolved all democratic institutions.

Aftermath

The scheduled election was rendered null by the coup of 21 April 1967, led by Georgios Papadopoulos. King Constantine II initially acquiesced to the junta but later attempted a failed counter-coup in December 1967. The junta, known as the Regime of the Colonels, established a brutal dictatorship, suspending the Greek Constitution of 1952, banning political parties, and initiating widespread persecution, exemplified by the torture facilities on Yaros Island. This period of authoritarian rule lasted until the Polytechnic uprising in 1973 and the final collapse of the regime following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, leading to the restoration of democracy with the Metapolitefsi and the 1974 Greek legislative election.

Category:Elections in Greece Category:1967 elections in Europe Category:1967 in Greece