Spyros Markezinis

Spyros Vasiliou Markezinis (Greek: Σπυρίδων Μαρκεζίνης ) ( born April 22, 1909 in Athens, † January 4, 2000 ) was a Greek politician and Prime Minister.

Family and studies

Markezinis came from a long-established and wealthy family from the island of Santorini, which during the Venetian rule of the title " Marchesini " ( "small" Marchese ( Marquis ) ) was presented. He completed studies in law and political science at the University of Athens. He then worked as a lawyer. In 1936, he became advisor to King George II, a position he retained until 1946 held, though the king had left in May 1941 after the occupation by the German Wehrmacht Greece. Markezinis remained in Greece and was a member of the Greek resistance movement.

Political career

Member of the National Assembly

Markezinis began his political career in 1946 with the election of deputies of the National Assembly ( Vouli ). There he represented the United Nationalist Party (UNP ) for the constituency of the Cyclades. Soon after, he left the UNP and established the New Party (NK ), the second of many parties to whom he should belong to later. In the parliamentary election, 1950, the NK reached 2.5 percent, so that he was a deputy of the National Assembly now for this party.

Minister under Marshal Papagos and checkered career to military dictatorship in 1967

Markezinis was appointed in 1949 to the minister without portfolio in the cabinet of Alexandros Diomidis. Soon after, he was given control of economic policy and the coordination of the activities of the various ministries from the industry in this function. After the election of his longtime political ally Marshal Alexandros Papagos as Prime Minister on 19 November 1952 he was Minister for Coordination ( Ypourgos Syndonismou ) with a comprehensive sphere of influence. In April 1953, he ordered a devaluation of the drachma by 50 percent relative to the U.S. dollar, to simultaneously curb existing import restrictions. His successful monetary policy led to an increase in exports and consumer demand on the one hand, and a reduction in inflation and a balance of trade deficit to the other side. During this time he was seen as a possible successor of Papagos as prime minister and party leader. However Markezinis occurred before the end of the Papagos government in October 1955 on April 3, 1954 back. The reason for his resignation was the publication of correspondence with the then German Economics Minister Ludwig Erhard, Erhard Markezinis where the procurement of industrial projects to German companies appealed without prior consent of the Prime Minister Papagos. After his resignation from the government Papagos he founded his party previously in the "Greek Collection" ( Ellinikos Synargemos ) leavened by Papagos Party Neo comma as decimal Proodeftikon (KP, party of the progressives ) new.

After the death of Marshal Papagos on 4 October 1955, neither he nor other possible heirs, such as former Prime Minister Panagiotis Kanellopoulos or minister and interim Prime Minister Stephanos Stephanopoulos, appointed Prime Minister. Instead king appointed Paul the then Minister of Public Works Konstantinos Karamanlis as the new Prime Minister. This succeeded, almost all members of the party of Papagos in a new party Ethniki Enosis Rizospastiki (ERE, National Radical Union) to unite and with this win the election in 1956 with an absolute majority. Markezinis and his newly - or re-established party won a vote share of 2.22 % and no parliamentary seat at the rate applicable to that choice " triphasic suffrage". Only in 1958 he succeeded with his party Communist Party of the re-entry into the Parliament for this purpose he formed with the parties of the center, including the EPEK the late Nikolaos Plastiras, and two other smaller parties, an electoral alliance, which 10.62% of the votes and a total of ten parliamentary seats achieved. Accounted for two of mandates on Markezinis and his party. In the following 1961 elections Markezinis formed an electoral alliance with the Enosis Kendrou (EK, Centre Union) at Georgios Papandreou. This electoral alliance did not reach the majority, the EUA under Konstantinos Karamanlis remained in power. But Markezinis succeeded in entering parliament. Two years later Markezinis came with his Communist Party in the elections in 1963 without a connection with another party to and achieved 3.73 % share of the vote two parliamentary seats, including one for herself a few months later formed Markezinis in the elections 1964 party alliance with the now opposition EUA under Panagiotis Kanellopoulos and moved again in the Parliament; won the elections with the EK George Papandreou at the top with an absolute majority.

Military dictatorship

The following years were marked by an unstable political situation, which eventually led to the coup, Colonel under Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos and establishing a permanent military dictatorship until 1974 on 21 April 1967.

1973 there was a coup attempt by the predominantly royalist set navy. Prime Minister Georgios Papadopoulos then sat from the exiled King Constantine II and had himself appointed president himself through a controversial referendum on 1 June 1973. On growing economic problems, public protests and increasing diplomatic isolation towards Papadopoulos sought the support of the old political establishment. Markezinis was ready for democracy to help the country back, and was appointed on 8 October 1973 the Prime Minister. He agreed with Papadopoulos a limitation of military influence, a lifting of martial law and a withdrawal of press censorship. At the same time, free elections were promised, in which the traditional left-wing political movements should be allowed.

Already in November 1973 led student protests and the occupation of the Technical University of Athens to a coup and deposed by Brigadier General Dimitrios Papadopoulos Ioannidis, sacked on November 25, 1973 Markezinis as prime minister and had him arrested. Ioannidis said from the promised elections and called again martial law. A few months later in July 1974 after the coup against the Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios III. and the subsequent invasion of Turkish troops on Cyprus, the collapse of the military dictatorship.

Restoration of democracy

After his release in July 1974 Markezinis took part in the negotiations for the restoration of democracy, led by Prime Minister Karamanlis to form a national unity government on 23 July 1974. The Progressive Party of Markezinis remained politically active in the following years and achieved their greatest success in 1981 with the election of Members of the European Parliament. He withdrew increasingly from active politics and wrote autobiographical and time political writings.

Swell

• Biography in rulers.org
• Biography and interview from July 22, 1970
• Friends in, phase out. Article in TIME Magazine, February 23, 1953
• Confined to Barracks. Article in TIME Magazine, April 12, 1954
• The Rise of the Junta in Greece

• Prime Minister (Greece )
• Person ( Greek Resistance 1941-1945 )
• Greek
• Born in 1909
• Died in 2000
• Man