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| Kostas Hatzidakis | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kostas Hatzidakis |
| Native name | Κώστας Χατζηδάκης |
| Birth date | 18 March 1965 |
| Birth place | Athens |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Party | New Democracy |
| Alma mater | University of Athens |
Kostas Hatzidakis is a Greek politician and member of New Democracy who has served in multiple cabinet posts and parliamentary terms, holding influence in energy, labour, and European affairs; he is noted for roles under Prime Ministers Kostas Karamanlis, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and prior governments. He has been a Member of the Hellenic Parliament and a former Member of the European Parliament, engaging with institutions such as the European Commission, International Monetary Fund, and European Central Bank during periods of economic adjustment. Hatzidakis's career intersects with figures including Antonis Samaras, George Papandreou, Alexis Tsipras, and events such as the Greek government-debt crisis and the 2015 Greek bailout referendum.
Born in Athens in 1965, Hatzidakis studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and pursued postgraduate studies linked to European Union affairs, aligning him with networks in Brussels and connections to the European People's Party. During his student years he interacted with contemporaries from University of Paris, Humboldt University of Berlin, and institutions frequented by future politicians such as members of PASOK and Communist Party of Greece. His early legal training involved exposure to cases and scholars tied to the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights, situating him amid debates on Greek constitution issues and regional policies involving Balkans neighbours like North Macedonia and Turkey.
Hatzidakis entered national politics through New Democracy, winning a seat in the Hellenic Parliament and later serving as a Member of the European Parliament for Greece where he sat with the European People's Party group. His parliamentary work placed him in committees engaging with the European Commission, European Investment Bank, and delegations to countries including Cyprus, Israel, and members of the Western Balkans. He became a prominent figure during the tenure of Kostas Karamanlis and continued to hold influence during administrations led by Antonis Samaras and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, interacting with leaders like Nikos Dendias and Yannis Stournaras on policy coordination related to the Greek government-debt crisis and negotiations with the Troika (EU, ECB, IMF).
Hatzidakis has held several ministerial portfolios: Minister for Labour and Social Solidarity, Minister for Development and Competitiveness, Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change, and Minister for National Economy and Finance in caretaker or transitional contexts. In the Ministry of Labour role he engaged with unions such as the General Confederation of Greek Workers and employers' associations like SEV (Hellenic Federation of Enterprises), while in the Ministry of Environment he oversaw dossiers intersecting with the European Green Deal, Energy Community, and projects involving companies such as DEPA and PPC (Public Power Corporation). As a minister involved with economic portfolios, he negotiated with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank and coordinated reforms related to public administration with figures like Evangelos Venizelos and Dimitris Avramopoulos.
Hatzidakis advocated market-oriented reforms and labour-market flexibility aligned with European People's Party positions, supporting privatizations involving entities like PPC (Public Power Corporation) and infrastructure deals with investors from Germany, France, and China. His stances generated disputes with trade unions such as the Panhellenic Federation of Public Service Employees and political opponents in Syriza and PASOK, especially during debates tied to the Greek government-debt crisis, austerity measures imposed by the Troika (EU, ECB, IMF), and the 2015 Greek bailout referendum. Controversies included clashes over deregulation, pension reform affecting beneficiaries under laws debated with European Court of Justice precedents, and environmental disputes over projects involving the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, NGOs like WWF Greece, and local authorities in regions such as Attica, Crete, and Peloponnese.
Hatzidakis is married and has a family life based in Athens, maintaining connections with academic circles at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and policy networks linked to Brussels think tanks and institutions like the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy. His personal interests have included engagement with cultural organizations such as the Acropolis Museum and participation in forums alongside figures like Klaus Schwab and representatives of the OECD.
Hatzidakis first won election to the Hellenic Parliament representing Attica and secured subsequent re-elections while also serving as a Member of the European Parliament for a term; he ran in national ballots against candidates from PASOK, Syriza, and smaller parties like Golden Dawn and To Potami. His electoral performance reflects the fortunes of New Democracy across cycles in 2000s and 2010s contests, including periods of coalition negotiations with parties such as Potami and interactions with electoral laws shaped by the Greek Constitution and reforms debated with the Council of State.
Category:Greek politicians Category:New Democracy (Greece) politicians Category:1965 births Category:Living people