Georgios Rallis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgios Rallis
|
|
|---|---|
| Γεώργιος Ράλλης | |
.jpg)
Rallis in 1981
|
|
| Prime Minister of Greece | |
| In office 10 May 1980 – 21 October 1981 |
|
| President | Konstantinos Karamanlis |
| Preceded by | Konstantinos Karamanlis |
| Succeeded by | Andreas Papandreou |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 10 May 1978 – 9 May 1980 |
|
| Prime Minister | Konstantinos Karamanlis |
| Preceded by | Panagis Papaligouras |
| Succeeded by | Constantine Mitsotakis |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Georgios Ioannou Rallis
26 December 1918 Athens, Greece |
| Died | 15 March 2006 (aged 87) Athens, Greece |
| Political party | New Democracy |
| Spouse | Lena Rallis (died 2015) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Athens |
| Signature |  |
Georgios Rallis (born December 26, 1918 – died March 15, 2006) was an important Greek politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Greece from 1980 to 1981. He was known for being a kind and modest leader.
Contents
A Family of Politicians
Georgios Rallis came from a very old and important family called the Rallis family. Many people in his family were involved in politics.
His great-grandfather, George A. Rallis, became the Chief Justice of the Greek Supreme Court in 1849. His grandfather, Dimitrios Rallis, was Prime Minister of Greece five times!
Georgios's father, Ioannis Rallis, was also a Prime Minister during the German occupation of Greece (1943-1944). After the war, he was put in prison and died there. Georgios's mother's father, Georgios Theotokis, was Prime Minister four times between 1901 and 1907.
Early Life and Education
Georgios Rallis was born in Athens, Greece, on December 26, 1918. He grew up in a well-known area of the city called Kolonaki.
He went to the University of Athens to study law and political science. After he finished his studies, he joined the army. He fought against Italy in 1940. Later, he also served in the Greek Civil War from 1946 to 1949.
Starting His Political Journey
Rallis was first elected to the Greek Parliament in 1950. He was a member of the People's Party. He was re-elected in almost every election until he retired from politics in 1993.
In 1954, he became a cabinet minister for the first time. He worked closely with Constantine Karamanlis, who would later become Prime Minister and President. Rallis held different minister roles, like Minister for Transport and Public Works, and Minister for the Interior.
He was also one of the people who helped start a new political party called the National Radical Union (ERE) in 1956.
Standing Up to the Dictatorship
In 1967, there was a military takeover in Greece, known as the Junta of the Colonels. Georgios Rallis was the Minister for Public Order at the time. He tried to stop the coup, but he couldn't.
Because he opposed the military government, he was arrested three times. He was even sent away to an island called Kasos. He also wrote for a magazine called Politika Themata to criticize the government.
Returning to Government
When the military dictatorship ended in 1974, Rallis became a minister again. He worked with Constantine Karamanlis in the new government.
From 1976 to 1977, he was the Minister for National Education. During this time, he made important changes to schools. He made Demotic Greek the official language used in schools and government. This replaced an older, more formal version of Greek called Katharevousa.
Becoming Foreign Minister
In 1978, Georgios Rallis became the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was the first Greek Foreign Minister to visit the Soviet Union.
He also played a big part in Greece joining the European Economic Community (EEC), which is now the European Union. He signed the agreement for Greece to join in May 1979. He also worked to improve Greece's relationships with neighboring countries like Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.
Prime Minister of Greece
In 1980, Constantine Karamanlis became the President of the Republic. Georgios Rallis was then chosen to lead the New Democracy party. On May 10, 1980, he became the Prime Minister of Greece.
As Prime Minister, he helped Greece rejoin the military part of NATO. He was Prime Minister until October 1981, when his party lost the election. After this, he stepped down as the leader of his party.
Later Life and Legacy
Georgios Rallis continued to be involved in politics for some years. He left his party for a while but later rejoined. He finally retired from politics in 1993.
Even though he came from a wealthy family, Rallis was known for living a simple life. He often walked to work, even when he was Prime Minister! He liked to talk to people he met on the street. People remembered him for being mild, modest, and honest.
Georgios Rallis passed away on March 15, 2006, at his home. He spoke English, French, and German, and wrote 14 books.
Images for kids
-
Prime Minister Rallis with Foreign Minister Constantine Mitsotakis in Luxembourg on June 26, 1981.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Georgios Rallis para niños
