Liberal Party (Greece)
Encyclopedia
The Liberal Party was one of the major Greek
political parties of the early 20th century.
), its early leaders were Kostis Mitsotakis (grandfather of Konstantinos Mitsotakis) and Eleftherios Venizelos
. After the annexation of Crete by Greece, Venizelos moved to Athens
and turned the party into a national one, under the Fileleftheron (liberal) name in 1910. For the following 25 years, the fate of the party would be tied to that of Venizelos. The party was legally disbanded after the failed coup attempt led by Nikolaos Plastiras
of 1935, although the organization remained active.
During World War II
, a Greek government in exile
was formed in Cairo
, Egypt
, with the assistance of the British. The government was formed almost entirely of prominent Liberals, including Georgios Papandreou
and Sophoklis Venizelos
, even as King George
remained the official head of state. The party was reformed after the war, until it merged into Center Union
(Enosi Kentrou) in 1961.
In 1980, Eleftherios Venizelos' grandson Nikitas founded a new party under the same name that claims to be the continuation of the original party, see Liberal Party (Greece, modern)
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
political parties of the early 20th century.
History
Founded as the Xipoliton ("barefoot") party in Crete (then an autonomous region of the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
), its early leaders were Kostis Mitsotakis (grandfather of Konstantinos Mitsotakis) and Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
. After the annexation of Crete by Greece, Venizelos moved to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and turned the party into a national one, under the Fileleftheron (liberal) name in 1910. For the following 25 years, the fate of the party would be tied to that of Venizelos. The party was legally disbanded after the failed coup attempt led by Nikolaos Plastiras
Nikolaos Plastiras
Nikolaos Plastiras was a Greek general and politician, who served thrice as Prime Minister of Greece. A distinguished soldier and known for his personal bravery, he was known as "O Mavros Kavalaris" during the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922...
of 1935, although the organization remained active.
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...
, a Greek government in exile
Greek government in exile
The Greek government in exile was the official government of Greece, headed by King George II, which evacuated from Athens in April 1941, after the German invasion of the country, first to the island of Crete and then to Cairo in Egypt. Hence it is also referred to as the "Cairo Government"...
was formed in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, with the assistance of the British. The government was formed almost entirely of prominent Liberals, including Georgios Papandreou
George Papandreou (senior)
Georgios Papandreou was a Greek politician, the founder of the Papandreou political dynasty. He served three terms as Prime Minister of Greece...
and Sophoklis Venizelos
Sophoklis Venizelos
Sofoklis Venizelos was a prominent Greek politician who three times served as Prime Minister of Greece .He was born in Chania. The second-born son of Eleftherios Venizelos, Sofoklis served with distinction in the Greek Army during the First World War and the initial phases of the Asia Minor...
, even as King George
George II of Greece
George II reigned as King of Greece from 1922 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1947.-Early life, first period of kingship and exile:George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia...
remained the official head of state. The party was reformed after the war, until it merged into 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...
(Enosi Kentrou) in 1961.
In 1980, Eleftherios Venizelos' grandson Nikitas founded a new party under the same name that claims to be the continuation of the original party, see Liberal Party (Greece, modern)
Liberal Party (Greece, modern)
The Liberal Party is a Greek liberal political party, founded in the 1980s, which claims to be the continuation of the historical Liberal Party, one of Greece's leading parties for most of the early 20th century...
.
Electoral results
| Results, 1910–1958 (year links to election page) |
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| Year | Type of Election | Votes | % | Mandates | ||||
| November 1910 | |
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| May 1915 | |
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| 1920 Greek legislative election, 1920 The legislative elections of 1920 were probably the most crucial elections in the modern history of Greece, influencing not only the few years afterwards, including Greece's defeat by Kemal Atatürk's reformed Turkish army in 1922, but setting the stage for Greece's political landscape for most of... |
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| 1923 Greek legislative election, 1923 After the defeat of the Liberals in 1920, Venizelos left the country, King Constantine I returned and Greece was soundly defeated by the newly-reformed Turkey in the war in Asia Minor. After the death of King Constantine, his eldest son George was proclaimed King George II... |
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| 1926 Greek legislative election, 1926 The first legislative elections of the Second Hellenic Republic were held on 7 November 1926. At stake were 286 seats in the Greek Parliament, the Vouli.... |
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| 1928 Greek legislative election, 1928 Legislative elections were held in the Second Hellenic Republic on 19 August 1928. At stake were 250 seats in the Greek parliament, the Vouli. The 1928 elections delivered an overwhelming majority to Eleftherios Venizelos.... |
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| 1932 Greek legislative election, 1932 Legislative elections were held in the Second Hellenic Republic on 25 September 1932. At stake were 250 seats in the Lower House of the Greek Parliament, the Vouli .... |
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| 1932 Greek Senate election, 1932 In 1932 elections took place for the renewal the 1/3 of the members of the Senate and resulted in an ambivalent result for the two biggest parties, the Liberal Party of Eleftherios Venizelos and the People's Party.... |
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| 1933 Greek legislative election, 1933 Legislative elections were held in the Second Hellenic Republic on 5 March 1933. At stake were 248 seats in the Lower House of the Greek Parliament, the Vouli.... |
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| 1936 Greek legislative election, 1936 The 26 January 1936 Greek legislative elections were the first held in the restored monarchy. At stake were 300 seats in the Greek parliament, the Vouli.... |
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| 1946 Greek legislative election, 1946 These elections were marked by:* The marked abstention of voters, caused by the abstention of Communist Party of Greece, and the effects of the civil war , because of which many citizens either could not or chose not to vote.... |
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| 1950 Greek legislative election, 1950 The 1950 Greek legislative election was held on 5 March 1950.A total of 44 parties contested 250 seats. rowspan=2 colspan=3 valign=top|Summary of the 5 March 1950 Greek Parliament election results... |
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| 1951 Greek legislative election, 1951 The Greek legislative election of the 9 September 1951 resulted in an ambivalent outcome, consisting a narrow and pyrrhic, as proven later, victory for the ruling center-liberal parties of Sophoklis Venizelos and Nikolaos Plastiras.-Background:... |
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| 1958 Greek legislative election, 1958 The Greek legislative election of the 11 May 1958 resulted in the second consecutive victory for Constantine Karamanlis and his National Radical Union party.... |
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Prominent members
(Name, highest office as a party member, year)- Eleftherios VenizelosEleftherios VenizelosEleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
, leader, Prime MinisterPrime Minister of GreeceThe Prime Minister of Greece , officially the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic , is the head of government of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank, following...
(1910) - Georgios KafantarisGeorgios KafantarisGeorgios Kafantaris was a Greek politician, born in Anatoliki Fragkista, Evrytania....
, Prime Minister (1924) - Andreas MichalakopoulosAndreas MichalakopoulosAndreas Michalakopoulos was an important liberal politician in the inter-war period who served as Prime Minister of Greece from 7 October 1924 to 26 June 1925....
, Prime Minister (1924) - Sophoklis VenizelosSophoklis VenizelosSofoklis Venizelos was a prominent Greek politician who three times served as Prime Minister of Greece .He was born in Chania. The second-born son of Eleftherios Venizelos, Sofoklis served with distinction in the Greek Army during the First World War and the initial phases of the Asia Minor...
, Prime Minister (1944) - Georgios PapandreouGeorge Papandreou (senior)Georgios Papandreou was a Greek politician, the founder of the Papandreou political dynasty. He served three terms as Prime Minister of Greece...
, Prime Minister (1946) - Konstantinos Mitsotakis, MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(1946)
Leaders
- Eleftherios VenizelosEleftherios VenizelosEleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
, 1910–1936 - Themistoklis SophoulisThemistoklis SophoulisThemistoklis Sofoulis or Sophoulis was a prominent centrist Greek politician from Samos Island, belonging to the centre-left wing of the Liberal Party, which he led for many years.-Early life:...
, 1936–1948 - Sophoklis VenizelosSophoklis VenizelosSofoklis Venizelos was a prominent Greek politician who three times served as Prime Minister of Greece .He was born in Chania. The second-born son of Eleftherios Venizelos, Sofoklis served with distinction in the Greek Army during the First World War and the initial phases of the Asia Minor...
, 1948–1961
See also
- VenizelismVenizelismVenizelism was one of the major political movements in Greece from the 1900s until the mid 1970s.- Ideology :Named after Eleftherios Venizelos, the key characteristics of Venizelism were:*Opposition to Monarchy...
- Eleftherios VenizelosEleftherios VenizelosEleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
- History of Modern Greece