Greek Former Prime Minister Konstantinos Simitis Dies at 88
ATHENS, Greece — Konstantinos Simitis, a towering figure in modern Greek politics who served as the country’s prime minister from 1996 to 2004, has passed away. He was 88.
Simitis, who was not known to have any significant health issues prior, died on Wednesday, January 5.
A co-founder of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) party along with Andreas Papandreou, Simitis succeeded Papandreou as party leader in 1996. Under his leadership, PASOK won the 1996 general elections, and Simitis went on to serve as Greece’s prime minister for eight years.
Simitis’ tenure was marked by significant events that shaped Greece’s modern history. Notably, he oversaw Greece’s adoption of the euro as its legal tender in 2001, a process in which he played a critical role.
