George Papandreou

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Template:George Papandreou sidebar George Andreas Papandreou (Template:Langx,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:IPA, shortened to Giorgos (Template:Lang) Template:IPA to distinguish him from his grandfather; born 16 June 1952) is an American-born Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece from 2009 to 2011. He is currently serving as an MP for PASOK-Kinima Allagis.

Belonging to a political dynasty of long standing, he served under his father, then-prime minister Andreas Papandreou as Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs (1988–1989 and 1994–1996). He served as Minister for Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Costas Simitis from 1999 to 2004. Papandreou was leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) party, which his father founded, from February 2004 until March 2012, and has been president of the Socialist International from 30 January 2006 to 25 November 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 6 October 2009, George Papandreou became the 182nd Prime Minister of Greece. He was the third member of the Papandreou family to serve as the country's prime minister, following his father Andreas and his grandfather Georgios Papandreou. He resigned on 11 November 2011 during the Greek government debt crisis to make way for a national unity government.

In March 2012, he resigned as leader of PASOK, and in January 2015, he left the party completely, founding his own political party, the Movement of Democratic Socialists (KIDISO), which was the 8th most voted-for party in the January 2015 elections, but did not manage to enter Parliament. In 2017, KIDISO joined the Democratic Alignment, a political alliance formed by PASOK and other centre-left parties. Democratic Alignment later evolved into Movement for Change, which in the 2019 elections was the third most voted-for party, with Papandreou himself returning to Parliament as an MP representing the region of Achaea.

Early life and education

Papandreou was born 16 June 1952 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, where his father, Andreas Papandreou, at that time held a professorship at the University of Minnesota. His mother is the American-born Margaret Papandreou, née Chant. He renounced his US citizenship in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He received his secondary education at schools in Illinois in the United States, in Sweden, and graduated from King City Secondary School<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (near Toronto) in Canada in 1970.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He attended Amherst College in Massachusetts (where he was a friend and dormitory roommate of future political rival and prime minister of Greece himself, Antonis Samaras<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>), Stockholm University, the London School of Economics and Harvard University. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Amherst (1975) and a master's degree in sociology from the LSE (1977). He was a researcher on immigration issues at Stockholm University in 1972–73. He was also a fellow of the Foreign Relations Center of Harvard University in 1992–93.

In 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws by Amherst College and in 2006 he was named distinguished professor in the Center for Hellenic Studies by Georgia State College of Arts and Science.

Papandreou's father studied and worked as professor of economics from 1939 to 1959. His paternal grandfather, Georgios Papandreou, was a three-time prime minister of Greece.

Political career

Papandreou in 2001, as Minister of Foreign Affairs

The younger George Papandreou came to Greece after the restoration of Greek democracy in 1974. He then became active in the political party his father had founded, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). He joined the Central Committee of PASOK in 1984.

Papandreou was elected to the Greek Parliament in 1981, the year his father became prime minister, as MP for the constituency of Achaea. He became Under Secretary for Cultural Affairs in 1985, Minister of Education and Religious Affairs in 1988, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1993, Minister for Education and Religious Affairs again in 1994, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs again in 1996 and Minister of Foreign Affairs in February 1999. He was also Minister Responsible for Government Coordination for the Bid for 2004 Olympic Games in 1997.

In his second term as Minister of Education, Papandreou was the first politician in Greece to introduce affirmative action, allocating 5% of university posts for the Muslim minority in Thrace. He was also instrumental in initiating the Open University in Greece.

Papandreou received numerous awards and honorary degrees in recognition of his work for human rights. As foreign minister he fostered closer relations with Turkey and Albania. He worked to solve the dispute over Cyprus. Papandreou also worked to resolve tensions regarding the Macedonia naming dispute. Papandreou stated in 1999 that he supported Turkey's application to join the European Union.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In December 2003, European Voice shortlisted him for nomination of the Europeans of the Year award as "Diplomat of the Year",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> naming him as "The Bridge-Builder" and quoting Le Monde that dubbed him the "architect of Greek-Turkish rapprochement".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is a founding member of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly.

President of PASOK (2004–2012)

In anticipation of the 2004 national elections in Greece, polls indicated that PASOK was very likely to lose as the conservative New Democracy party was heading towards a landslide. In January 2004, the incumbent PM Costas Simitis announced his resignation as leader of PASOK, and passed the leadership to Papandreou by recommending him as the new leader. On 8 February 2004 PASOK introduced for the first time the procedure of open primaries for the election of party leadership. Even if Papandreou had no opponent, this was a move designed to solidify the open primaries, democratize the party, and make a clean break with the tradition of "dynastic politics".

In May 2005, Papandreou was elected vice president of the Socialist International following a proposal by the former president, António Guterres. In January 2006, Papandreou was unanimously elected president of the Socialist International.

In the 2007 general election, PASOK again lost to the incumbent New Democracy party of Kostas Karamanlis and Papandreou's leadership was challenged by Evangelos Venizelos and Kostas Skandalidis. Papandreou, however, retained his party's leadership at a leadership election in November.

In June 2009 and under his leadership, his party won the 2009 European Parliament election in Greece.<ref name="European election results 2009">Template:Cite web</ref> Four months later, PASOK won the October 2009 general elections with 43.92% of the popular vote to ND's 33.48%, and 160 parliament seats to 91.<ref name="Results 2009 Greek legislative elections">Template:Cite web</ref>

Prime Minister of Greece (2009–2011)

George Papandreou takes the oath of office of the Prime Minister of Greece.

Taking office and revelations

The inauguration of George Papandreou as the 182nd Prime Minister of Greece took place on 6 October 2009.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Upon inauguration, Papandreou's government revealed that its finances were far worse than previous announcements, with a year deficit of 12.7% of GDP, four times more than the eurozone's limit, and a public debt of $410 billion.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> This announcement served only to worsen the severe crisis the Greek economy was undergoing, with an unemployment rate of 10%<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the country's debt rating being lowered to BBB+, the lowest in the eurozone.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Papandreou responded by promoting austerity measures,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> reducing spending, increasing taxes,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> freezing additional taxes and hiring and introducing measures aimed at combatting rampant tax evasion<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and reducing the country's public sector. The announced austerity program caused a wave of nationwide strikes<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and has been criticised by both the EU and the eurozone nations' finance ministers as falling short of its goals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Crisis management and bailouts

Template:See also On 23 April 2010 during a visit at the island of Kastelorizo, Papandreou issued a statement to the press that he instructed Finance Minister Papakonstantinou to officially ask the EU partners to activate the support mechanism, 'an unprecedented mechanism in the history and practice of the European Union'.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The support mechanism, which was put in place by the European heads of state and government and further elaborated by Eurogroup ministers, is a European mechanism to which the IMF is associated with financing and it involves a comprehensive three-year economic program and financing conditions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 23 April 2010, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that Greece made a request for a Stand-By Arrangement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Papandreou and his Finance Minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou managed to convince the IMF and EU to participate in a €110bn bailout package on 9 May 2010. Greece's sovereign debt crisis, considered part of the European sovereign debt crisis, was marked by massive strikes and demonstrations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In an opinion poll published on 18 May 2011, 77% of the people asked said they had no faith in Papandreou as prime minister in handling the Greek economic crisis.<ref name="Public Issue">Template:Cite web</ref>

On 25 May 2011 the Real Democracy Now! movement started protesting in Athens and other major Greek cities. At the time, the peaceful protests were considered to be a sign of popular rejection of Mr. Papandreou and his government's economic policies,<ref name="BBC parliament camps">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="BBC cuts">Template:Cite news</ref> with as much as three-quarters of the Greek population being against the policies of the Papandreou government.<ref name="BBC EU leaders">Template:Cite news</ref> Among the demands of the demonstrations at Athens's central square, who claim to have been over 500,000 at one point,<ref name="Skai 500,000">Template:Cite web</ref> was the resignation of Papandreou and his government.

In the early hours of 22 June, George Papandreou and his government narrowly survived a Motion of no confidence in the Hellenic Parliament, with 155 of the 300 seats in parliament.<ref name="BBC confidence">Template:Cite news</ref> His government held 152 seats.<ref name="Parliamentary Groups">Template:Cite web</ref>

On 17 September, he cancelled a visit to the IMF building in Washington, D.C., and the UN Headquarters in New York City amid mounting concern over the country's debt crisis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

An opinion poll by Public IssueTemplate:Clarify on behalf of Skai TV and Kathimerini in October 2011 showed that Papandreou's popularity had dropped considerably.<ref name="Barometro Okt 2011">Template:Cite news</ref> Of the people asked, only 23% had a positive view of George Papandreou,<ref name="Barometro Okt 2011"/> while 73% had a negative opinion;<ref name="Barometro Okt 2011"/> ranking him lower than any other leader of a party in the Hellenic Parliament.<ref name="Barometro Okt 2011"/> Papandreou also ranked low on the question of who is more suitable for prime minister, with just 22%, as both Antonis Samaras (28%) and "neither" (47%) ranked higher than him.<ref name="Barometro Okt 2011"/>

George Papandreou and Antonis Samaras with Karolos Papoulias, the President of Greece, on 6 November 2011 discussing the formation of a caretaker government.

On 26 October 2011, the European Summit agreed to hand to the Greek government the Sixth Tranche of €8 billion bailout early in the 2012, while the private-sector banks, the holders of Greek debt, have agreed to a 50% haircut on their outstanding Greek government bonds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 28 October 2011, during the national day parade, protesters blocked the parades, forcing the President of Greece and other officials to leave.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Called-off referendum and stepping aside

On 31 October, Papandreou announced his government's plans to hold a referendum on the acceptance of the terms of a eurozone bailout deal.<ref name="Skai Dimopsifisma Papandreou">Template:Cite web</ref> The referendum was to be held in December 2011 or January 2012.<ref name="Skai Dimopsifisma Venizelos">Template:Cite web</ref> However, following the insistence of EU leaders at the G20 summit in Cannes that the referendum should be on Greece's continued membership of the eurozone, and severe criticism of such a referendum by Greek Finance Minister Venizelos and within parliament, Papandreou scrapped the plan on 3 November.<ref name="Cannes EU Summit">Template:Cite news</ref>

On 5 November, his government only narrowly won a confidence vote in parliament<ref>"Greek PM Papandreou faces unity challenge over bailout" Template:Webarchive at bbc.co.uk</ref> and opposition leader Antonis Samaras called for immediate elections. The next day Papandreou met with opposition leaders trying to reach an agreement on the formation of an interim national unity government. However, Samaras gave in only after Papandreou agreed to step aside, allowing the EU bailout to proceed and paving the way for elections on 19 February 2012.<ref name="unity">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Both the Communist Party (KKE) and the leftist SYRIZA coalition had refused Papandreou's invitation to join talks on a new unity government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Following several days of intense negotiations, the two major parties along with the Popular Orthodox Rally agreed to form a grand coalition headed by former vice president of the European Central Bank Lucas Papademos.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> On 10 November, George Papandreou formally resigned as Prime Minister of Greece.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The new coalition cabinet and Prime Minister Lucas Papademos were formally sworn in on 11 November 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Comeback aspirations

In August 2012, Papandreou was re-elected president of the Socialist International at its congress in Cape Town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Within domestic politics, he however remained largely sidelined within PASOK, while still an ordinary Member of the Hellenic Parliament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 2 January 2015, Papandreou announced his aspirations to return to high-profile domestic politics. Launching his new party Movement of Democratic Socialists to contest the 25 January 2015 parliamentary elections, he confirmed the long-expected breakup with PASOK.<ref name=wsj2jan>Template:Cite web</ref>

While his decision was fiercely criticized by PASOK officials,<ref name=wsj2jan /> Papandreou referred to the extraordinary situation with the country facing important challenges amidst a highly polarized political situation. He said that under these circumstances he "needed to make a bold political choice. PASOK, the party I belonged to since my youth, and led for many years, had become assimilated into conservative practices and policies."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Receiving only 2.46% of the electoral vote, Papandreou's new party however fell short of the 3% electoral threshold. His failure to be reelected marks the first time since 1923 where a representative of the Papandreou political dynasty is not present in the Hellenic Parliament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following the election he said in a BBC Newsnight interview that his conscience was clear: "I was able to save Greece from default."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In March 2017, at the Congress of the Socialist International that took place in Cartagena, Colombia, Papandreou was unanimously re-elected president of the organization.

He is also co-chair of the Democratic Alignment, a coalition of the center left parties in Greece, composed by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), the Democratic Left (DIMAR) and the Movement of Democratic Socialists.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In May 2017, Papandreou delivered the keynote speech to the European Association of Political Consultants (EAPC) in Brussels.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 20 October 2021, Papandreou announced his candidacy for the leadership of Movement for Change (Greece).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Papandreou and his then-wife attend the Quadriga Award 2010 ceremony on 3 October 2010 in Berlin.

George Papandreou was married to Ada Papapanou, until 2016, and they have a daughter, Margarita-Elena (born 1990).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also has a son, Andreas (born 1982), from a previous civil wedding to Evanthia Zissimides (1976–1987), who is from Cyprus.Template:Citation needed

He has two younger brothers, Nikos Papandreou and Andreas Papandreou, and two younger sisters, Sophia Papandreou and Emilia Nyblom.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Apart from Greek and English, he is also fluent in Swedish.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One of his paternal great-grandfathers, Zygmunt Mineyko, was an army officer and an engineer of Polish-Lithuanian descent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2016, Papandreou co-signed a letter to Ban Ki-moon calling for a more humane drug policy, along with people like Glenn Greenwald, Olusegun Obasanjo and Anthony D. Romero.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Honours and decorations

• 1996: Commander of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine)
• 1996: Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion (Finland)
• 1996: Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland II class (Poland)
• 1998: Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (Spain)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1999: Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (Sweden)
• 1999: Order of the White Star I class (Estonia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1999: Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 2000: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• 2001: Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain)
• 2001: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
• 2002: Grand Cross of the Order of Infante dom Henrique (Portugal)Template:Citation needed
• 2002: Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX (Vatican)
• 2003: Grand Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
• 2003: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 2003: Gran Cruz Order of the Sun of Peru (Peru)

Awards

• 1988: " Botsis's Foundation for the Promotion of Journalism " award for "his multifaceted struggles, which established the Free Radio as part of our democratic institutions"
• 1996: SOS against anti-Semitism, and affiliated organizations" Committee award, for his work against anti-Semitism
• 1997: Abdi Ipekci special award for Peace and Friendship ( June 1997) "for his activities in favor of Greek-Turkish approach during the period 1995–1996 while serving as Minister of National Education and Religion"
• 2000: Eastwest Institute 2000 Awards – Peace Building Awards . The 2000 "Statesman of the Year Award" given to Foreign Minister George Papandreou of Greece and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem of Turkey for their great efforts at improving relations between their respective countries
• 2002: Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award (United States Sport Academy)
• 2003: Recipient: Defender of Democracy (Parliamentarians for Global Action)
• 2006: Open Fields Award (Truce Foundation USA)
• 2010: Quadriga Award (Werkstatt Deutschland, Germany), for The Power of Veracity (transparency regarding the state of the Greek economy)

See also

• Politics of Greece
• List of prime ministers of Greece

External links

• Template:Official website
• George Papandreou: Imagine a European democracy without borders June 2013 TED Talk
• Template:Hellenic Parliament

Template:S-start Template:S-off Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-ppo Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-prec Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end