Andreas Papandreou
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| Andreas Papandreou | |
|---|---|
 R. Norman Matheny / distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate · Public domain · source | |
| Name | Andreas Papandreou |
| Caption | Papandreou in 1987 |
| Office | Prime Minister of Greece |
| Term start | 21 October 1981 |
| Term end | 2 July 1989 |
| President | Constantine Karamanlis, Christos Sartzetakis |
| Predecessor | Georgios Rallis |
| Successor | Tzannis Tzannetakis |
| Term start2 | 13 October 1993 |
| Term end2 | 22 January 1996 |
| President2 | Constantine Karamanlis, Kostis Stephanopoulos |
| Predecessor2 | Constantine Mitsotakis |
| Successor2 | Costas Simitis |
| Office3 | President of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement |
| Term start3 | 3 September 1974 |
| Term end3 | 23 June 1996 |
| Successor3 | Costas Simitis |
| Birth date | 5 February 1919 |
| Birth place | Chios, Kingdom of Greece |
| Death date | 23 June 1996 (aged 77) |
| Death place | Ekali, Greece |
| Party | Panhellenic Socialist Movement (1974–1996) |
| Otherparty | Center Union (1961–1967) |
| Spouse | Christina Rasia (1941–1951), Margaret Chant-Papandreou (1951–1989), Dimitra Liani (1989–1996) |
| Children | 4, including George Papandreou |
| Alma mater | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Harvard University |
| Profession | Academic, Economist, Politician |
Andreas Papandreou was a towering and polarizing figure in modern Greece, serving as Prime Minister for two separate terms and founding the dominant Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). His tenure dramatically reshaped the nation's political landscape, moving it away from post-junta conservatism with a populist platform of social change and nationalist foreign policy. A charismatic orator and former academic, his legacy is a complex blend of transformative domestic reforms, economic clientelism, and a profound personal influence on Greek politics.
Early life and education
Born on the island of Chios, he was the son of the prominent centrist politician Georgios Papandreou. He studied at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens before leaving for the United States in the 1940s. At Harvard University, he earned a PhD in economics and embarked on a distinguished academic career, teaching at several prestigious institutions including the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and the University of California, Berkeley. During this period, he became a naturalized American citizen and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, while also conducting economic research for the Federal Reserve.
Political career and exile
He returned to Greece in 1959, invited by Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis to lead a research program. He renounced his American citizenship and entered politics under the banner of his father's party, the Center Union, winning a seat in the Hellenic Parliament in 1964. Appointed Minister to the Prime Minister in the government of Georgios Papandreou, he quickly became a leading progressive voice. Following the military coup of 1967 by the colonels' regime, he was arrested and imprisoned before intense international pressure, including from figures like Senator J. William Fulbright, secured his exile. During his exile, he lived in Sweden and Canada, where he taught at York University and founded the Panhellenic Liberation Movement, an anti-junta resistance organization.
Premiership and policies
After the fall of the junta and the restoration of democracy in 1974, he founded the socialist Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). Leading PASOK to a historic victory in the 1981 election, he became Prime Minister, ending decades of rule by the conservative New Democracy party. His government pursued radical policies, including the nationalization of key industries, the establishment of a comprehensive National Health System, and the legalization of civil marriage. In foreign policy, he was fiercely critical of the United States, opposing NATO bases and the European Economic Community, while cultivating closer ties with the Arab world and leaders like Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Later years and legacy
His first premiership ended in 1989 amidst mounting economic problems and a series of political scandals, including the Bank of Crete scandal involving George Koskotas. After a period of coalition governments, he returned to power following the 1993 election. His final term was overshadowed by serious health issues and the rising influence of his wife, Dimitra Liani. He resigned in January 1996 and was succeeded by Costas Simitis. His legacy is deeply contested; he is credited with modernizing Greek society and empowering the lower classes, but also criticized for fostering a culture of statism and patronage that burdened the Greek economy. PASOK remained a major political force for decades under his successors.
Personal life
He was married three times: first to Christina Rasia, then to Margaret Chant-Papandreou, an American-born activist with whom he had four children, including future Prime Minister George Papandreou. His highly publicized late-life marriage to his former airline stewardess companion, Dimitra Liani, caused a significant political stir. A figure of immense personal magnetism and controversy, he died in 1996 from complications of heart failure and pneumonia at his home in Ekali.
Category:Prime Ministers of Greece Category:Greek economists Category:1919 births Category:1996 deaths