Ioannis Grivas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ioannis Grivas
Ιωάννης Γρίβας |
|
|---|---|
| Prime Minister of Greece | |
| In office 12 October 1989 – 23 November 1989 |
|
| President | Christos Sartzetakis |
| Preceded by | Tzannis Tzannetakis |
| Succeeded by | Xenophon Zolotas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 February 1923 Kato Tithorea, Greece |
| Died | 27 November 2016 (aged 93) Athens, Greece |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | University of Athens |
Ioannis Grivas (Greek: Ιωάννης Γρίβας) was a Greek judge who became the Prime Minister of Greece for a short time in 1989. He was born on February 23, 1923, and passed away on November 27, 2016. He led a special kind of government called a caretaker government, which helps a country prepare for new elections.
Early Life and Becoming a Judge
Ioannis Grivas was born in a place called Kato Tithorea in Greece. He went to the University of Athens to study law. After finishing his studies, he became a judge in 1954.
As a judge, he took part in important trials in 1975 that followed a period when Greece was ruled by military leaders. In 1979, he was chosen to work at the Supreme Court of Greece, which is the highest court for civil and criminal cases. He later became the vice-president of this court in 1986 and then its president from 1989 to 1990.
Leading Greece as Prime Minister
In 1989, Greece faced a political challenge. The country's Parliament, which makes laws, was "deadlocked." This means that after the elections in June 1989, no single political party had enough votes to form a government on its own. The two main parties, PASOK and New Democracy, could not agree.
Because of this situation, the Greek Constitution required that the president of one of Greece's highest courts step in as a temporary Prime Minister. Ioannis Grivas, being the president of the Supreme Court, agreed to take on this important role. He became the head of a caretaker government. A caretaker government is a temporary government that manages the country's affairs and prepares for new elections when a stable government cannot be formed.
Grivas took office on October 12, 1989. His main job was to lead the country to new elections, which were held on November 5. However, these new elections also resulted in another deadlocked Parliament. Because of this, he resigned on November 23, 1989. Another person, Xenophon Zolotas, then formed a new government that included all three main political parties. Ioannis Grivas retired from his public duties in 1990. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 93.
