Ioannis Charalambopoulos
Encyclopedia
Ioannis Charalambopoulos is a Greek
Army
officer (Colonel
of the Engineering Corps) and socialist politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defence
of Greece
.
. He studied at the Hellenic Army Academy and completed his military studies at Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, southeast London
. During World War II
, he served as the commander of an infantry unit during the Greco-Italian War
and later in the Middle Eastern theater
. He left the army in 1961 with the rank of colonel and became a politician in the Center Union
, being elected to Parliament representing Messenia
in the 1963 and 1964 elections.
During the Greek military junta of 1967–1974, Charalambopoulos founded the Democratic National Resistance Movement, and spent three years in internal exile
for his opposition to the regime. After the fall of the dictatorship
in 1974, Charalambopoulos became a founding member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
, and was elected to Parliament on its lists in all elections from 1974 to 2000, representing the Athens B constituency.
After the accession of Greece to the EEC on January 1, 1981, he became a provisional member of the European Parliament
representing Greece until the country could hold its first European Parliament elections
. On October 21, 1981 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the first cabinet of Andreas Papandreou
and served in the position until July 26, 1985. He was then appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Greece
during Papandreou's second term until 18 November 1988, in addition receiving the portfolio of National Defence on 25 April 1986 which he held until 2 July 1989.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
officer (Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Engineering Corps) and socialist politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defence
Minister for National Defence (Greece)
The Minister for National Defence of Greece is a government minister responsible for the running of the Ministry of National Defence. The current minister is Dimitris Avramopoulos.-Recent Ministers for National Defence:-External links:*...
of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Early life and political career
Charalambopoulos was born in 1919 in Psari, GreecePsari (Messinia), Greece
Psari is a village in the prefecture of Messinia, Greece. It is located in the municipality of Dorio and has a population of 602 people. It is the birthplace of Ioannis Charalambopoulos, Markos Ntaras, and Giannakis Gritzalis, and also it is the place where the revolution of Messinia began....
. He studied at the Hellenic Army Academy and completed his military studies at Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, southeast London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served as the commander of an infantry unit during the Greco-Italian War
Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II...
and later in the Middle Eastern theater
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
. He left the army in 1961 with the rank of colonel and became a politician in the Center Union
Center Union
The Centre Union was a Greek political party, created in 1961 by George Papandreou, senior.The party was elected to power in 1963, with Papandreou as Prime Minister...
, being elected to Parliament representing Messenia
Messenia
Messenia is a regional unit in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, one of 13 regions into which Greece has been divided by the Kallikratis plan, implemented 1 January 2011...
in the 1963 and 1964 elections.
During the Greek military junta of 1967–1974, Charalambopoulos founded the Democratic National Resistance Movement, and spent three years in internal exile
Internal Exile
Internal Exile was Fish's second solo album after leaving Marillion in 1988. The album, released 28 October 1991, was inspired by the singer's past, his own personal problems and his troubled experiences with his previous record label EMI.The album's music reflects Fish's indulgence in the vast...
for his opposition to the regime. After the fall of the dictatorship
Metapolitefsi
The Metapolitefsi was a period in Greek history after the fall of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 that includes the transitional period from the fall of the dictatorship to the Greek legislative elections of 1974 and the democratic period immediately after these elections.The long...
in 1974, Charalambopoulos became a founding member of 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...
, and was elected to Parliament on its lists in all elections from 1974 to 2000, representing the Athens B constituency.
After the accession of Greece to the EEC on January 1, 1981, he became a provisional member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
representing Greece until the country could hold its first European Parliament elections
European Parliament election, 1981 (Greece)
The European Parliament election of 1981 in Greece was the election of the delegation from Greece to the European Parliament in 1981. The rest of the European Community voted in 1979 before Greece became a member state...
. On October 21, 1981 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the first cabinet 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...
and served in the position until July 26, 1985. He was then appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Greece
Deputy Prime Minister of Greece
The Deputy Prime Minister of Greece is the deputy of the Prime Minister of Greece and the second most senior member of the Greek Cabinet. The post is not permanent, rather it is created on an ad hoc basis...
during Papandreou's second term until 18 November 1988, in addition receiving the portfolio of National Defence on 25 April 1986 which he held until 2 July 1989.