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[[Image:Dimitris Avramopoulos.jpg|frame|right|Dimitris Avramopoulos]]
'''Dimitris Avramopoulos''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Δημήτρης Αβραμόπουλος) is a Greek [[Diplomacy|diplomat]] and [[politician]], former mayor of [[Athens]], member of the [[Hellenic Parliament ]] and Greek current [[political ministerMinister for National Defence (Greece)|MinistryMinister for National Defence]] of Tourism.
Avramopoulos was born in Athens in on [[June 6]], [[1953]]. He studied State Law and [[political science|Political Sciences]] in the [[University of Athens]], and continued his studies at the post-graduate level. After a short period of involvement as a member of the [[Communist Party of Greece - Interior]] (Greek: ΚΚΕ Εσωτερικού), a split of the [[Communist Party of Greece]], he joined the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Academy in [[1980]] and subsequently Greece's diplomatic corpus.
As a diplomat he served in many places:
* and as the director of Constantine Mitsotakis' diplomatic office until [[1993]].
In [[1993]] Avramopoulos quit his diplomatic career and entered mainstream politics, first by being a candidate MP in the same year's election, and then by running for mayor of Athens in [[1994]], supported by the conservative [[New Democracy]]. He won easily against his opponent, [[Theodoros Pangalos (PASOK MP)|Theodoros Pangalos]] of the social democratic [[Panhellenic Socialist Movement|PASOK]]. He repeated his victory in [[1998]] against [[Maria Damanaki]], who was supported by both PASOK and the radical left [[Synaspismos]], and served another four years as mayor.
His popularity as a political figure was skyrocketing, while his party [[New Democracy]] faced a lot of internal problems as Greece's primary opposition, notably the exhausting conflict between its president [[Costas Karamanlis]] and the former Prime Minister [[Constantine Mitsotakis]]. Many people of the conservative right were suggesting that he could assume a more active political role, while rumors were spreading that he would split from New Democracy and create his own party.
These rumors were confirmed in late [[2001]], when he established the right-of-center [[Movement of Free Citizens]] (Greek: Κίνημα Ελευθέρων Πολιτών, ΚΕΠ), known by its [[acronym]] KEP. This created an initial enthusiasm to his followers and panic to New Democracy, who seemed to lose more ground as opposition to the ruling [[PASOK]]. At the time of KEP's foundation, polls gave the new party a percentage of 24%, something extraordinary and unusual for a new party in Greece.
However, KEP's percentages in polls continued falling, and the initial enthusiasm quickly faded away. In only a few months' time, and to his supporters' surprise and disappointment, Avramopoulos unexpectedly terminated its existence as a party, pointing at KEP's financial shortcomings as an excuse. He announced that KEP would continue operating as a think tank, and this effectively marked Avramopoulos' return to [[New Democracy]].
He left the mayor's office in [[2002]], and was succeeded by [[Dora Bakoyanni]], also of [[New Democracy]].
In the 2004 Greek legislative election, Avramopoulos was elected MP in [[Athens]], under the flag of [[New Democracy]]. The party's leader and Prime Minister , [[Costas Karamanlis ]], selected him for the office of Minister of Tourism. After the shuffle of [[February 15]], [[2006]], he moved to the [[Minister for Health and Social Solidarity (Greece)|Ministry for Health and Social Solidarity]] a position he held until [[New Democracy]] was ousted from power in the elctions of [[2009]].
Avramopoulos returned to the [[Cabinet of Greece]] on [[November 11]], [[2011]], as [[Ministry for National Defence (Greece)|Minister for National Defence]] in the government of National Unity headed by economist [[Lucas Papademos]]. On [[June 21]], [[2012]], he was named [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Greece)|Minister for Foreign Affairs]] by Prime Minister [[Antonis Samaras]]. One year later, in a cabinet reshuffle, he was returned to his [[Ministry for National Defence (Greece)|National Defence]] post. Among the leaders in popularity polls, Avramopoulos is considered one of the most popular politicians in Greece. Always with a sober tone and a polite manner, Avramopoulos is renowned for his ability to seduce the public. His critics have questioned his political skills on many occasions, arguing that apart from his public relations skills, he has little else to show, and his opponent candidate mayor of Athens [[Theodoros Pangalos (PASOK MP)|Theodoros Pangalos ]] of [[PASOK ]] has gone as far as calling him "Mr. Nothing".
== See also ==
[[Category:Greek politicians|Avramopoulos, Dimitris]]
[[Category:1953 births|Avramopoulos, Dimitris]]
[[Category:Athens Mayors|Avramopoulos, Dimitris]]
[[Category:Ministers for Foreign Affairs|Avramopoulos, Dimitris]]
[[Category:Minister for Health and Social Solidarity|Avramopoulos, Dimitris]]
[[Category:Minister for Tourism|Avramopoulos, Dimitris]]
[[Category:Minister for National Defence|Avramopoulos, Dimitris]]
