Glafcos Clerides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Glafcos Clerides
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| 4th President of Cyprus | |
| In office 28 February 1993 – 28 February 2003 |
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| Preceded by | George Vassiliou |
| Succeeded by | Tassos Papadopoulos |
| In office 23 July 1974 – 7 December 1974 |
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| Preceded by | Nikos Sampson (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Makarios III |
| 1st President of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 1960–1976 |
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| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Tassos Papadopoulos |
| 1st President of DISY | |
| In office 1976–1993 |
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| Succeeded by | Yiannakis Matsis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 April 1919 Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Died | 15 November 2013 (aged 94) Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Political party | Patriotic Front (1959–1969) Eniaion (1969–1976) Democratic Rally (from 1976) |
| Spouse |
Lila Erulkar
(m. 1947; died 2007) |
| Alma mater | King's College London |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1942-1944 |
Glafcos Ioannou Clerides (Greek: Γλαύκος Ιωάννου Κληρίδης; born April 24, 1919 – died November 15, 2013) was an important Greek Cypriot politician. He was also a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. He served as the fourth president of Cyprus from 1993 to 2003. When he passed away, he was the oldest former President of Cyprus still alive.
Contents
About Glafcos Clerides
Early Life and Family
Glafcos Clerides was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. He was the oldest son of Ioannis Clerides, who was also a lawyer and statesman. Glafcos had a sister named Chrysanthi and a brother named Xanthos.
In 1947, he married Lila Erulkar in London. Lila was from India. They had a daughter named Katherine, born in 1949. Katherine later became a member of the House of Representatives for the Democratic Rally Party, following in her father's footsteps. Glafcos Clerides died in a hospital in Nicosia in 2013.
Serving in World War II
During World War II, Glafcos Clerides joined the British Royal Air Force. In 1942, his airplane was shot down over Germany. He was captured and became a prisoner of war. He remained a prisoner until the war ended. He was recognized for his excellent service during this time.
Becoming a Lawyer
After the war, Clerides studied law at King's College London. He became a barrister in 1948 and then practiced law in Cyprus. He was part of the EOKA organization, which worked to free Cyprus from British rule. He used the secret name "Ypereides" during this time. He often defended EOKA fighters who were arrested by the British.
One of his big achievements was creating a detailed report. This report showed evidence of human rights violations by the British government in Cyprus.
Cyprus Becomes Independent
Role in Independence
Glafcos Clerides took part in the 1959 London Conference on Cyprus. This meeting helped Cyprus move from being a British colony to an independent country. From 1959 to 1960, he served as the Minister of Justice. He also led the Greek Cypriot team in the committee that wrote the country's constitution.
In July 1960, he was elected to the House of Representatives. This group then chose him as its first President. He held this important position until 1976.
After the 1974 Events
Cyprus became independent in 1960. Clerides gained political power as a member of the United Democratic Party. In July 1974, there was a difficult time for Cyprus. The elected President, Makarios III, was overthrown.
Glafcos Clerides then temporarily took over as President of the Republic. He served in this role from July 23, 1974, until December 7, 1974. This was when Archbishop Makarios, the true President, was able to return. Both President Makarios and the House of Representatives publicly thanked Glafcos Clerides for his work during this challenging period.
Political Career and Presidency
Founding a Political Party
From 1961 to 1963, Clerides was the President of the Cyprus Red Cross. He received an award for his excellent service to the Red Cross.
In 1976, he started his own political party called the Democratic Rally (Demokratikos Synagermos). This party was on the right side of the political spectrum.
Serving as President
Glafcos Clerides ran for president of Cyprus six times. He was elected for two five-year terms, first in 1993 and again in 1998. He was a very popular leader. In the 2003 presidential election, he lost to Tassos Papadopoulos.
He also wrote a book about the history of Cyprus in the 20th century. It was called My Deposition and had four volumes.
Achievements as President
During his time as president (1993–2003), Cyprus became much more successful. The country's strong economy made it the wealthiest of the ten countries that joined the European Union in 2004. Many people give credit to Clerides' government for helping Cyprus join the European Union.
He did lose some popularity because he strongly supported the Annan Plan. This plan aimed to reunite Cyprus. While most Turkish Cypriots voted for the plan in a 2004 vote, most Greek Cypriots rejected it.
Honors and Awards
Glafcos Clerides received several important honors:
Holy See: Knight of the Collar of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
See also
In Spanish: Gláfkos Klirídis para niños
