Jump to content

Ilias Tsirimokos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ilias Tsirimokos
Prime Minister of Greece
In office
20 August 1965 – 17 September 1965
MonarchConstantine II
Preceded byGeorgios Athanasiadis-Novas
Succeeded byStefanos Stefanopoulos
Personal details
Born26 April 1907
Lamia, Greece
Died13 July 1968
Athens

Ilias Tsirimokos (Greek: Ηλίας Τσιριμώκος, 26 April 1907 – 13 July 1968) was a Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece for a very brief period (from 20 August 1965 to 17 September 1965).

Life

[edit]

He was born in Lamia in 1907. His father, Ioannis Tsirimokos, was also of a political background. Tsirimokos got involved in politics from a young age and was first elected to parliament in 1936 on the Liberal Party's ticket. During the Axis Occupation of Greece, he co-founded a small leftist party, the Union of People's Democracy (ELD). He served as its general secretary, while the distinguished law professor Alexandros Svolos served as its president. In 1941, ELD joined the National Liberation Front (EAM), and Tsirimokos gained a seat in EAM's central committee. In 1944, Tsirimokos was appointed as Secretary for Justice in the EAM-controlled Political Committee of National Liberation. However he resigned from that position on 2 December 1944 alongside 3 other left-wing cabinet members after pressure from the British Government.[1][2]

In the 1950 elections, after the Greek Civil War, Tsirimokos was elected again into parliament, for Athens, on behalf of the renamed Socialist Party-Union of People's Democracy (SK-ELD). He was re-elected in the 1958 elections for the United Democratic Left, and again in 1961, 1963 and 1964 for the Center Union. In 1963, he was elected as Speaker of the Parliament. During the period of the "Apostasia" in the summer of 1965, Tsirimokos was chosen by King Constantine II to form a government.[3] He failed to gain a vote of confidence, and was succeeded by Stefanos Stefanopoulos, in whose government he retained ministerial posts.

He died in Athens on 13 July 1968 at the age of 61.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Guerilla Issue Brings Greek Resignations". Eugene Register-Guard. 2 December 1944. p. 1.
  2. ^ "Left-Wingers Quit Cabinet in Greece". The Pittsburgh Press. 3 December 1944. p. 17.
  3. ^ Agency, United States Central Intelligence (1965). Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts.
Political offices
Preceded by Interior Minister of Greece
6 January 1965 – 15 July 1965
Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Greece
20 August 1965 – 17 September 1965
Succeeded by
Preceded by Foreign Minister of Greece
20 August 1965 – 14 April 1966
Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
Stefanos Stefanopoulos
(in the 1964–1965 Papandreou cabinet)
Deputy Prime Minister of Greece
(with Georgios Athanasiadis-Novas)

17 September 1965 – 14 April 1966
Succeeded by