Charilaos Trikoupis

Charilaos Trikoupis (Greek: Χαρίλαος Τρικούπης ) ( born July 11, 1832 in Nafplion ( Argolis ), † March 30, 1896 in Cannes) was a Greek politician and Prime Minister.

• 4.1 Biographical sources
• 4.2 Background Information

Family, study and career

Trikoupis was the son of Spyridon Trikoupis, which until October 1833 was also Prime Minister from February. His mother was the sister of Aikaterini Mavrokordatou several times Prime Minister Alexandros Mavrokordatos.

After school he graduated at the Universities of Athens and Paris studies of law and literature. When promoted to Doctor of Canon Law in 1852, he entered the diplomatic service and was attaché at the embassy in London. 1863 he was appointed Chargé ( Chargé d' Affaires ) at the embassy in London. After the completion of negotiations with the United Kingdom over the assignment of the Ionian Islands to Greece in 1865, he returned to Greece.

Political career

Deputy Minister and party founder

Trikoupis began his political career in the same year with the election of deputies of the National Assembly ( Vouli ton Ellinon ). From June to December 1866 he was Secretary of State in the fifth cabinet of Dimitrios Voulgaris.

Trikoupis founded in 1872 his own party, the so-called " Fifth Party" ( Pempto comma). On June 29, 1874, he published a political manifesto, titled "Who is the culprit? " ( Τις Πταίει? ) In the daily newspaper " Kairoi " in which he blamed for the political malaise of the country's King George I.. In particular, he criticized the speaking against the election results of the appointments prime minister by the king and the resulting political instability. Because of the manifesto, he was briefly detained.

Seven-time Prime Minister ( 1875-1895 )

As chairman of a New Reform Party ( Νεωτεριστικόν Κομμα ) ( NK) he could it form a majority coalition in the National Assembly a year and it was by King George I reluctantly appointed on 8 May 1875 the Prime Minister. In this first term of office, electoral reform was passed, which provided that the King had to appoint the chairman of the parliamentary majority party as prime minister. This led, however, to the fact that soon a de facto two- party system from the New Reform Party to Trikoupis on one side and the conservative Nationalist Party ( Κόμμα Εθνικόφρονων ) (KE ) by Alexandros Koumoundouros on the other side. The formation of coalitions with smaller parties as well as necessary by-elections meant, however, that in the next six years held office twelve governments.

In the parliamentary elections of October 4, 1875, however, the New Reform Party lost its majority, so that Trikoupis resigned on October 27 as Prime Minister.

In the fifth cabinet of Konstantinos Kanaris he was from June to September 1877 Foreign Minister again.

From 2 to November 7, 1878 and from March 22 to October 25, 1880, he was again Prime Minister of the transitional government. On March 15, 1882, he was again Prime Minister and immediately began implementing its reform policies. He first tried to enforce a more stable fiscal policy as well as to take advantage of the rising prosperity of the country through the construction of roads, railways and ports. One of the big projects was about the beginning of the construction of the Corinth Canal. Another project, however, only one Vision remained due to the technical possibilities of that time, was the construction of a bridge across the Gulf of Corinth connecting the cities of Rio and Antirrio. The construction of this bridge, however, was begun in 1998 and completed in 2004. This bridge, however, was named in his honor in Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge. Despite these attempts at reform, however, Greece was in the late 19th century, a poor and backward country. Its relatively stable government until his resignation on May 1, 1885 after the defeat in the parliamentary elections.

However, it did on May 21, 1886 to November 5, 1890 further continue as prime minister, his economic and fiscal reforms. During this tenure, he also supported the modernization of the Navy by his Navy Minister Georgios Theotokis.

On 22 June 1892 he was Minister for the sixth time. At this time, the state budget was completely consumed due to high expenses and systematic corruption, and this was often due to campaign promises of the parties. His government statement summed up the situation at that time with the words "Regrettably, we are bankrupt " ( " Δυστυχώς επτωχεύσαμεν. ", " Regretfully, we are broke" ). As he hired the foreign loans and all expenses not necessary circumcised, but he had on 15 May 1893 as Prime Minister again first resign.

However Trikoupis was named after a transitional government of Sotirios Sotiropoulos already on November 11, 1893 for the seventh and last time as Prime Minister. During this period, the planning for the 1896 Summer Olympics began in Athens. However Trikoupis was initially against this revival of the Olympic Games skeptical and feared particularly that Greece could not bear the cost. Eventually, however, he was convinced of the Olympic idea and made ​​the necessary arrangements to host the first Olympic Games of the modern era. In his last term, he tried in vain beyond agreements with foreign lenders to make. Finally, the proposed tax increase from him led to great hostility and finally on January 24, 1895, his resignation as Prime Minister.

For shortly afterwards, held elections for the National Assembly 's New Reform Party suffered substantial losses at the polls. Due to his health as well as private debt failed even his re-election as deputies. He then resigned from political life and died on March 30, 1896 in Cannes.

Following the transfer of his body was his funeral in Athens.