Downtown Athens has come to a standstill to honor former Greek Prime Minister, Costas Simitis, who died on January 5th at the age of 88. The funeral is taking place on Thursday morning at the Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown Athens and then the late former head of state will be buried at Athens’ First Cemetery.
A photo of late former Greek prime minister Costas Simitis is placed on his coffin before his state funeral, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, Greece, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
About Simitis
Simitis led the PASOK party and served as Prime Minister from 1996 to 2004, succeeding Andreas Papandreou. As Prime minister he advocated economic reform and deeper European integration, and he played a pivotal role in Greece’s adoption of the euro.
Born in Athens in 1936, Simitis studied law and economics in Germany and England. He began his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Konstanz in 1971, later becoming a professor at the University of Giessen (1971–1975) and Panteion University in Athens (1977). During Greece’s dictatorship, he fled abroad and joined the Panhellenic Liberation Movement (PAK) in 1970, serving on its National Council. A founding member of PASOK, Simitis was part of its first Executive Office.
Κηδεία του πρώην Πρωθυπουργού και προέδρου του ΠΑΣΟΚ Κώστα Σημίτη στην Μητρόπολη Αθηνών, Πέμπτη 9 Ιανουαρίου 2024. Ο Κώστας Σημίτης απεβίωσε σε ηλικία 88 ετών, τις πρώτες πρωινές ώρες της Κυριακής 05/01/25.
(ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΤΖΟΥΜΑΣ/EUROKINISSI)
Simitis held several ministerial roles, including Minister of Agriculture (1981–1985), National Economy (1985–1987), and Industry and Trade (1993–1995). He was first elected as a parliamentarian for Piraeus in 1985. On January 18, 1996, he succeeded Andreas Papandreou as prime minister, representing PASOK’s “modernizing” wing with a focus on economic reforms and aligning Greece’s economy with Europe’s standards.
Following Papandreou’s death, Simitis was elected PASOK president at the party’s 4th Congress in June 1996. He secured re-election as prime minister in the 1996 and 2000 general elections. During his tenure, he championed economic stability through privatization of state enterprises, a moderate foreign policy, and Greece’s successful accession to the Economic and Monetary Union in 2001.
Κηδεία του πρώην Πρωθυπουργού και προέδρου του ΠΑΣΟΚ Κώστα Σημίτη στην Μητρόπολη Αθηνών, Πέμπτη 9 Ιανουαρίου 2024. Ο Κώστας Σημίτης απεβίωσε σε ηλικία 88 ετών, τις πρώτες πρωινές ώρες της Κυριακής 05/01/25.
(ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΤΖΟΥΜΑΣ/EUROKINISSI)
As PASOK president, Simitis steered the party toward a centrist, pro-European stance. His second term was marked by austerity measures to combat inflation and national debt, as well as initiatives to address Greek-Turkish disputes concerning Cyprus.
Simitis is survived by his wife, Daphne, and their two daughters.
