Gerasimos Arsenis
Encyclopedia
Gerasimos Arsenis is a Greek politician who served as a Member of the Hellenic Parliament
and a Minister, in several Governments with the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
.
in 1931. He studied Law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
. After obtaining his degree in Law, he continued his Post-Graduate studies in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. Arsenis is fluent in English and French. From 1960 until 1964, Arsenis served as an Economist in the United Nations Secretariat (Prebisch Group) for the preparation of U.N.C.T.A.D. In 1964, he quit his post, as he was appointed the Director of the Research Division of the O.E.C.D. Development Centre in Paris, where he remained until 1967.
In 1967, he was appointed as a Senior Economist on the U.N.C.T.A.D and in 1974 he became the Director. During that period, he engaged in research and participated in negotiations relating to the reform of the International Monetary System
. From 1974 until 1980, he served as an independent expert of U.N.C.T.A.D. to the Ministerial Committee of Twenty on the Reform of the International Monetary System (later known as the IMF "Interim Committee"). Arsenis contributed to various proposals including the creation of international liquidity (SDRs), and developmental assistance and coordination of program assistance for the World Bank, along with the balance-of-payments financing the IMF uses for effective stabilization and development support scheme.
In November 1981, he was appointed as a Governor of the Bank of Greece
, a post that he maintained until February 1984. During that period, he oversaw the liberalization of the Greek financial system and modernized financial regulations. Gerasimos Arsenis has been an advisor for a number of governments on issues related to foreign exchange policy, external financing and debt rescheduling.
, a position that he held until 1985. In 1984, he served as a Minister of Economics that he was appointed to the Ministry of Mercantile Marine a year later, a position that he held for a month due to a disagreement with the Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou
on a few matters of economic policy. He was replaced by Costas Simitis
.
In 1986, Gerasimos Arsenis was expelled from the party, due to severe disagreements with the policies of the government. Afterwhich he founded the Greek Socialist Party, which did not manage to appeal enough Greek voters and was therefore dissolved.
He returned to the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
in 1989. The Panhellenic Socialist Movement
won the National elections of 1993, and Gerasimos Arsenis was appointed the Minister of Defence until 1996. He was the Minister of Defense during the Imia crisis
. During his post as the Minister, he promoted the new Defense Dogma for Greece and Cyprus, restructured the Defense procurement, and pursued policies of co-operation in the Defense arena with a number of countries in the broader region.
After the resignation of Andreas Papandreou
from the Presidency of the Party due to health problems, after a three-month long hospitalization which had incapacitated him and created a serious power-vacuum in Greece, the members of the Party asked for elections for a possible successor. Gerasimos Arsenis announced his candidacy to replace him, but he lost to Costas Simitis
and trailed the second candidate, Akis Tsohatzopoulos.
In 1996, during the Government of Costas Simitis, he was appointed as Minister of Education, a position that he held until 2000. Gerasimos Arsenis faced a massive backlash within the Educational community for the Educational system changes he proposed, some of which, however, stand to this day.
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
and a Minister, in several Governments with the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
Panhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
.
Life
Gerasimos Arsenis was born in Kephalonia, GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1931. He studied Law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in Southeast Europe and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837. Today, it is the second-largest institution of higher learning in Greece,...
. After obtaining his degree in Law, he continued his Post-Graduate studies in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. Arsenis is fluent in English and French. From 1960 until 1964, Arsenis served as an Economist in the United Nations Secretariat (Prebisch Group) for the preparation of U.N.C.T.A.D. In 1964, he quit his post, as he was appointed the Director of the Research Division of the O.E.C.D. Development Centre in Paris, where he remained until 1967.
In 1967, he was appointed as a Senior Economist on the U.N.C.T.A.D and in 1974 he became the Director. During that period, he engaged in research and participated in negotiations relating to the reform of the International Monetary System
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
. From 1974 until 1980, he served as an independent expert of U.N.C.T.A.D. to the Ministerial Committee of Twenty on the Reform of the International Monetary System (later known as the IMF "Interim Committee"). Arsenis contributed to various proposals including the creation of international liquidity (SDRs), and developmental assistance and coordination of program assistance for the World Bank, along with the balance-of-payments financing the IMF uses for effective stabilization and development support scheme.
In November 1981, he was appointed as a Governor of the Bank of Greece
Bank of Greece
The Bank of Greece is the nationalcentral bank of Greece, located in Athens on Panepistimiou Street, with several branches across the country. Founded in 1927...
, a post that he maintained until February 1984. During that period, he oversaw the liberalization of the Greek financial system and modernized financial regulations. Gerasimos Arsenis has been an advisor for a number of governments on issues related to foreign exchange policy, external financing and debt rescheduling.
Politics
Gerasimos Arsenis started his career in Politics in 1982, when he was appointed as a Minister of National Economy with the Panhellenic Socialist MovementPanhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
, a position that he held until 1985. In 1984, he served as a Minister of Economics that he was appointed to the Ministry of Mercantile Marine a year later, a position that he held for a month due to a disagreement with the Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou
Andreas Papandreou
Andreas G. Papandreou ; 5 February 1919 – 23 June 1996) was a Greek economist, a socialist politician and a dominant figure in Greek politics. The son of Georgios Papandreou, Andreas was a Harvard-trained academic...
on a few matters of economic policy. He was replaced by Costas Simitis
Costas Simitis
Konstantinos Simitis , usually referred to as Costas Simitis or Kostas Simitis, was Prime Minister of Greece and leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement from 1996 to 2004.- Biography :...
.
In 1986, Gerasimos Arsenis was expelled from the party, due to severe disagreements with the policies of the government. Afterwhich he founded the Greek Socialist Party, which did not manage to appeal enough Greek voters and was therefore dissolved.
He returned to the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
Panhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
in 1989. The Panhellenic Socialist Movement
Panhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
won the National elections of 1993, and Gerasimos Arsenis was appointed the Minister of Defence until 1996. He was the Minister of Defense during the Imia crisis
Imia/Kardak
Imia is a pair of two small uninhabited islets in the Aegean Sea, situated between the Greek island chain of the Dodecanese and the southwestern mainland coast of Turkey. They lie west of the coast of Muğla Province, east of the Greek island Kalymnos, and southeast of the nearest small Greek...
. During his post as the Minister, he promoted the new Defense Dogma for Greece and Cyprus, restructured the Defense procurement, and pursued policies of co-operation in the Defense arena with a number of countries in the broader region.
After the resignation of Andreas Papandreou
Andreas Papandreou
Andreas G. Papandreou ; 5 February 1919 – 23 June 1996) was a Greek economist, a socialist politician and a dominant figure in Greek politics. The son of Georgios Papandreou, Andreas was a Harvard-trained academic...
from the Presidency of the Party due to health problems, after a three-month long hospitalization which had incapacitated him and created a serious power-vacuum in Greece, the members of the Party asked for elections for a possible successor. Gerasimos Arsenis announced his candidacy to replace him, but he lost to Costas Simitis
Costas Simitis
Konstantinos Simitis , usually referred to as Costas Simitis or Kostas Simitis, was Prime Minister of Greece and leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement from 1996 to 2004.- Biography :...
and trailed the second candidate, Akis Tsohatzopoulos.
In 1996, during the Government of Costas Simitis, he was appointed as Minister of Education, a position that he held until 2000. Gerasimos Arsenis faced a massive backlash within the Educational community for the Educational system changes he proposed, some of which, however, stand to this day.