30 Facts About Costas Simitis

Konstantinos G Simitis was a Greek politician who led the 'Modernization' movement of Greece.

Costas Simitis succeeded in leadership Andreas Papandreou, the founder of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, and served as Prime Minister of Greece from 1996 to 2004.

Costas Simitis' reputation was marked when he became Minister of National Economy in 1985 when PASOK's profligacy needed a new financial 'stability' imposed through an economic adjustment programme.

In 1996, Costas Simitis won the leadership of PASOK after Papandreou's failing health.

However, the leadership transition from Papandreou to Costas Simitis was confrontational by loyalists of the former Prime Minister, who wanted to prevent such a transition from being realized.

Costas Simitis lacked his predecessor's charisma, and the fractured party's support limited many of his actions in government.

However, by the end of his tenure in 2004, Costas Simitis had several significant achievements and reforms in the wider society and economy to proclaim.

The performance of the Greek economy under Costas Simitis sealed the Greek entry into the Euro currency, closing the journey of aligning Greece with the West, which started with Eleftherios Venizelos and continued with Constantine Karamanlis.

Costas Simitis succeeded in the Cypriot accession into the EU, a diplomatic priority for Greece.

However, government institutions under Costas Simitis were developed and strengthened in their capacity to reform, appearing both more 'modern' and 'European.

Costas Simitis was born in Piraeus to Georgios Simitis, a Professor at the School of Economic and Commercial Sciences who later became a member of the National Liberation Front government in World War II, and to his wife Fani.

Costas Simitis studied law at the University of Marburg in Germany and economics at the London School of Economics.

Costas Simitis's brother Spiros Simitis was a prominent jurist specializing in data privacy in Germany.

Costas Simitis fled abroad after planting bombs in the streets of Athens in order to avoid being jailed and became a member of the Panhellenic Liberation Movement, led by Andreas Papandreou.

Costas Simitis took up a position as a university lecturer in Germany.

Costas Simitis returned to Athens in 1974 and was one of the co-founders of PAK's successor, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement.

Costas Simitis was not a candidate for the Greek Parliament in the 1981 elections, but he was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the first PASOK government of that year.

Costas Simitis then led the party in the national elections of 22 September 1996, gaining a mandate in his own right.

Costas Simitis worked very closely and had a good relationship with his Cabinet Secretary of eight years, Sokratis Kosmidis.

On 7 January 2004, with PASOK's popularity collapsing, Costas Simitis announced that he would resign as party president and would not stand for re-election as Prime Minister in the forthcoming legislative elections.

Costas Simitis was succeeded as PASOK leader by the then-Minister of Foreign Affairs George Papandreou, the only candidate in these elections.

Costas Simitis was found unconscious at his holiday home in Corinth, Greece on 5 January 2025.

Costas Simitis was taken to a hospital, where he died hours later, aged 88.

Costas Simitis was then buried at the First Cemetery of Athens.

Costas Simitis is known mainly in Greece for his political philosophy, known as Eksynchronismos, which focused on extensive public investment and infrastructure works as well as economic and labor reforms.

However, the macroeconomic data presented by Costas Simitis' government were called into question by an audit performed by the successor government of New Democracy in 2004.

In 2000, Costas Simitis was embroiled in a dispute with the Archbishop of the influential Greek Orthodox Church, Christodoulos of Athens, when the Greek government sought to remove the "Religion" field from the national ID cards carried by Greek citizens on the grounds that the Hellenic Data Protection Authority recommended so; its decision included the "Nationality" field, but was not implemented following a subsequent EE directive to the contrary.

Costas Simitis's attitude gained faint-hearted support even within his party, but he found a surprisingly militant ally in the Eksychronismos opinion makers.

Costas Simitis rejected New Democracy's bills for accountability and transparency with regards to governmental expenditure and decisions, while New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis accused Costas Simitis during a parliamentary plenum of being an "archpriest of cronyism", referencing the index of the NGO Transparency International.

Costas Simitis has authored several books and articles on legal and economic issues and politics.