List of heads of state of Greece

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This is a list of the heads of state of Greece, from the international recognition of autonomy of the modern nation state in 1828, during the last stages of the Greek War of Independence, until the present day.

Hellenic Republic (1822–1832)

Governor (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Term of office		Notes
Ioannis Kapodistrias Ιωάννης Καποδίστριας (1776–1831)		24 January 1828	9 October 1831	Assassinated in 1831.
Augustinos Kapodistrias Αυγουστίνος Καποδίστριας (1778–1857)		9 October 1831	9 April 1832	President of the Provisional Government Commission.

After the assassination of Ioannis Kapodistrias the country was plunged into chaos and anarchy. Following the resignation of Augustinos Kapodistrias, a series of collective governing councils were established, but their authority was often only nominal.

Governing Council	Term of office		Notes
Theodoros Kolokotronis, Andreas Zaimis, Ioannis Kolettis, Andreas Metaxas, Vasilios Boudouris	9 April 1832	14 April 1832
Georgios Kountouriotis, Ioannis Kolettis, Andreas Metaxas, Andreas Zaimis, Dimitrios Plapoutas, Dimitrios Ypsilantis, Konstantinos Botsaris (from 25 April 1832)	14 April 1832	3 October 1832
Andreas Zaimis, Andreas Metaxas, Ioannis Kolettis	3 October 1832	6 February 1833

Kingdom of Greece (1832–1924)

House of Wittelsbach (1832–1862)

King (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Reign		Notes
Otto Όθων (1815–1867)		6 February 1833	23 October 1862	Until 13 June 1835 with a regency council consisting of ministers Josef Ludwig von Armansperg (president), Karl von Abel and Georg Ludwig von Maurer. Deposed in 1862.
Regency Council		23 October 1862	30 March 1863	Collective regency pending the election of a new king.

House of Glücksburg (1863–1924)

King (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Reign		Notes
George I Γεώργιος A΄ (1845–1913)		30 October 1863	18 March 1913	Assassinated.
Constantine I Κωνσταντίνος A΄ (1868–1923)		18 March 1913	11 June 1917	Went into exile and abdicated in 1917 in favour of his second son Alexander.
Alexander Αλέξανδρος (1893–1920)		11 June 1917	25 October 1920	Died in office.

After the death of Alexander the succession proved problematic, as the Venizelist government at first favoured Alexander's younger brother Paul. As Paul refused to pass by his father Constantine and his elder brother George, the government as a whole acted as head of state until the election of admiral Kountouriotis as regent.

Regent (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Term of office		Comments
Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis Παύλος Κουντουριώτης (1855–1935)		28 October 1920	17 November 1920	Resigned after the electoral defeat of the Venizelists.
Queen Mother Olga Konstantinovna Όλγα Κωνσταντίνοβνα (1851–1926)		17 November 1920	19 December 1920

The new government held a plebiscite, which resulted in an overwhelming majority for the return of King Constantine I.

King (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Reign		Notes
Constantine I Κωνσταντίνος A΄ (1868–1923)		19 December 1920	27 September 1922	Abdicated again in 1922 after the Asia Minor Disaster.
George II Γεώργιος Β΄ (1890–1947)		27 September 1922	25 March 1924	Exiled on 19 December 1923, deposed on 25 March 1924.

Admiral Kountouriotis became regent for a second time from 19 December 1923 until 24 March 1924. The next day the parliament declared the country a Republic and Kountouriotis became provisional president.

Hellenic Republic (1924–1935)

President (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Term of office		Notes
Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis Παύλος Κουντουριώτης (1855–1935)		25 March 1924	15 March 1926	Elected by Parliament, resigned over General Pangalos' dictatorship.
General Theodoros Pangalos Θεόδωρος Πάγκαλος (1878–1952)		15 March 1926	22 August 1926	Military dictator, self-appointed President, overthrown by minister Georgios Kondylis.
Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis Παύλος Κουντουριώτης (1855–1935)		24 August 1926	9 December 1929	Restored to office by Kondylis, re-elected in 1929, resigned due to ill health.
Alexandros Zaimis Αλέξανδρος Ζαΐμης (1855–1936)		10 December 1929	10 October 1935	Overthrown by military revolt.

Kingdom of Greece (1935–1973)

Regent (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Term of office		Notes
Georgios Kondylis Γεώργιος Κονδύλης (1879–1936)		10 October 1935	25 November 1935	Appointed himself Regent pending the return of King George II.

House of Glücksburg (1935–1973)

King (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Reign		Notes
George II Γεώργιος Β΄ (1890–1947)		25 November 1935	1 April 1947	Fled the country in May 1941 during the German invasion. After the liberation and before his return Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens was Regent from 31 December 1944 until 27 September 1946. Died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother Paul.
Paul Παύλος (1901–1964)		1 April 1947	6 March 1964	Succeeded by his son Constantine.
Constantine II Κωνσταντίνος Β΄ (1940– )		6 March 1964	1 June 1973	Went into exile on 13 December 1967 after a failed counter-coup against the military regime ruling since 21 April 1967.

Military Junta (1967–1974)

The regime of the colonels was established in a military coup led by Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos on 21 April 1967. When King Constantine II went into exile on 13 December, his constitutional role was assumed by regents appointed by the military junta.

Regent (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Term of office		Notes
General Georgios Zoitakis Γεώργιος Ζωιτάκης (1910–1996)		13 December 1967	21 March 1972	Appointed by the military junta. Eventually replaced by Colonel Papadopoulos.
Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος (1919–1999)		21 March 1972	31 May 1973	Abolished the monarchy and declared himself President after a controversial referendum.

On 1 June 1973 the junta abolished the monarchy and replaced it with a presidential republic.

President (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Term of office		Notes
Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος (1919–1999)		1 June 1973	25 November 1973	Deposed in a coup led by Brigadier Dimitrios Ioannides.
General Phaedon Gizikis Φαίδων Γκιζίκης (1917–1999)		25 November 1973	17 December 1974	Appointed by Brigadier Ioannides, remained transitional President after the fall of the regime.

Hellenic Republic (1974–present)

In 1974, the military junta was overthrown and democracy restored. A second referendum, held on 8 December 1974, confirmed the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the current parliamentary republic, with the President of the Republic as the head of state.

President (Birth–Death)		Portrait	Term of office		Party	Notes
1	Michail Stasinopoulos Μιχαήλ Στασινόπουλος (1903–2002)		18 December 1974	19 June 1975	New Democracy	1st President (pro tempore). Elected by parliament with 206 votes
2	Konstantinos Tsatsos Κωνσταντίνος Τσάτσος (1899–1987)		20 June 1975	15 May 1980	New Democracy	Elected 1975 Supported by the New Democracy party, elected by parliament with 210 votes
3	Konstantinos G. Karamanlis Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Καραμανλής (1907–1998)		15 May 1980	10 March 1985	New Democracy	First term, elected 1980 Supported by the New Democracy party, elected by parliament with 183 votes on the third ballot
–	Ioannis Alevras Ιωάννης Αλευράς (1912–1995)		10 March 1985	30 March 1985	PASOK	Speaker of Parliament acting as President pro tempore
4	Christos Sartzetakis Χρήστος Σαρτζετάκης (1929– )		30 March 1985	4 May 1990	Independent	Elected 1985 Supported by the PASOK party, elected by parliament with 180 votes on the third ballot
5	Konstantinos G. Karamanlis Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Καραμανλής (1907–1998)		5 May 1990	10 March 1995	New Democracy	Second term, elected 1990 Supported by the New Democracy party, elected by parliament with 153 votes on the fifth ballot
6	Konstantinos Stephanopoulos Κωνσταντίνος Στεφανόπουλος (1926– )		10 March 1995	12 March 2005	Independent	Two terms, elected 1995 & 2000 Supported by the Political Spring and PASOK parties, elected by parliament with 181 votes on the third ballot. Re-elected with 269 votes on the first ballot
7	Karolos Papoulias Κάρολος Παπούλιας (1929– )		12 March 2005	Incumbent	PASOK	Two terms, elected 2005 & 2010 Supported by the New Democracy and PASOK parties, elected by parliament with 279 votes on the first ballot. Re-elected with 266 votes on the first ballot

See also

• Politics of Greece
• List of kings of Greece
• List of Prime Ministers of Greece

External links

• List of Greek heads of state and government
• The President of the Hellenic Republic
• Greek Royal Family