Ilias Tsirimokos

From Phantis
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Ilias Tsirimokos was a Greek politician and, very briefly, Prime Minister of the country.

He was born in Lamia, Phthiotis prefecture in 1907. Tsirimokos became involved in left-wing politics and, during the German occupation of Greece, led his Greek Popular Democracy party into the National Liberation Front (EAM) resistance movement, the latter being under the control of the Greek Communist Party (KKE). For his trouble, Tsirimokos was made part of the "Political Committee of National Liberation" (PEEA) a government of sorts set up by EAM.

After the war, Ilias Tsirimokos joined the Centre Union party of George Papandreou and became President of Parliament when his party triumphed in the 1963 elections. However, in 1965, a series of disagreements between Prime Minister Papandreou and King Constantine II forced the Centre Union party out of power. Several deputies defected, among them Tsirimokos. The King called upon poet-turned politician Georgios Athanasiadis-Novas to form a government. When Athanasiadis-Novas failed to get a vote of confidence, the King turned to Tsirimokos.

Ilias Tsirimokos formed a government of deputies that had defected from the Centre Union party, however, despite support from the right-wing National Radical Union, Tsirimokos also failed to get a vote of confidence and resigned. He served as Foreign Minister in the government of his successor, Stephanos Stephanopoulos.

Tsirimokos died on July 14, 1968.


Preceded by:
Georgios Athanasiadis-Novas
Prime Minister of Greece
1965
Succeeded by:
Stephanos Stephanopoulos