Greek Rally
Encyclopedia
Greek Rally was a Greek
political party founded on 6 August 1951 by former general Alexandros Papagos. The party encompassed a broad spectrum of the royalist conservative right in Greek society and was modeled on the Charles de Gaulle
's Rassemblement du Peuple Français (RPF). The creation of the party reflected the interests of the United States
, who believed it would help clean up the image of the Greek right and make it attractive to centrist voters. Throughout the years, the Greek right, represented by the People's Party
, had become splintered. Papagos' new party managed to attract considerable support, and the Populist Uniting Party (led by Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
and Stephanos Stephanopoulos
) and the New Party (led by Spiros Markezinis
) dissolved and merged with the Greek Rally. The popularity of Papagos, who had reinstated the autonomy of the Greek military during his tenure as its commander, enabled the party to quickly eclipse the Populists. In the September 1951 general election
, the Greek Rally garnered 114 parliamentary seats (taking 36.5 per cent of the vote) compared to the People's Party
two seats. In the subsequent November 1952 general election
, the Greek Rally gained 240 out of 300 seats in the Greek Parliament, an achievement helped in no small way by a change in the electoral system. The party effectively ended with the death of its leader in October 1955. His successor, Konstantinos Karamanlis, relaunched the party as the National Radical Union
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
political party founded on 6 August 1951 by former general Alexandros Papagos. The party encompassed a broad spectrum of the royalist conservative right in Greek society and was modeled on the Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
's Rassemblement du Peuple Français (RPF). The creation of the party reflected the interests of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who believed it would help clean up the image of the Greek right and make it attractive to centrist voters. Throughout the years, the Greek right, represented by the People's Party
People's Party (Greece)
The People's Party of Greece was a conservative and pro-monarchist political party founded by Dimitrios Gounaris, the main political rival of Eleftherios Venizelos and his Liberal Party. The party existed from 1920 until 1958....
, had become splintered. Papagos' new party managed to attract considerable support, and the Populist Uniting Party (led by Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos or Panayotis Kanellopoulos was a distinguished Greek politician and Prime Minister of Greece. He was the Prime Minister of Greece deposed by the Greek military junta of 1967-1974....
and Stephanos Stephanopoulos
Stephanos Stephanopoulos
Stefanos Stefanopoulos was a Greek politician. He was a moderate conservative, and served as a cabinet member during Alexandros Papagos' government...
) and the New Party (led by Spiros Markezinis
Spiros Markezinis
Spyridon Markezinis or Markesinis was a Greek politician, longtime member of the Hellenic Parliament, and briefly Prime Minister during the aborted attempt at democratization of the Greek military regime in 1973.-Early political life:Spyros Markezinis was a scion of an old wealthy family of...
) dissolved and merged with the Greek Rally. The popularity of Papagos, who had reinstated the autonomy of the Greek military during his tenure as its commander, enabled the party to quickly eclipse the Populists. In the September 1951 general election
Greek legislative election, 1951
The Greek legislative election of the 9 September 1951 resulted in an ambivalent outcome, consisting a narrow and pyrrhic, as proven later, victory for the ruling center-liberal parties of Sophoklis Venizelos and Nikolaos Plastiras.-Background:...
, the Greek Rally garnered 114 parliamentary seats (taking 36.5 per cent of the vote) compared to the People's Party
People's Party (Greece)
The People's Party of Greece was a conservative and pro-monarchist political party founded by Dimitrios Gounaris, the main political rival of Eleftherios Venizelos and his Liberal Party. The party existed from 1920 until 1958....
two seats. In the subsequent November 1952 general election
Greek legislative election, 1952
The Greek legislative election of 16 November 1952 resulted in victory for General Alexander Papagos and the party he had founded the previous year, the Greek Rally party....
, the Greek Rally gained 240 out of 300 seats in the Greek Parliament, an achievement helped in no small way by a change in the electoral system. The party effectively ended with the death of its leader in October 1955. His successor, Konstantinos Karamanlis, relaunched the party as the National Radical Union
National Radical Union
The National Radical Union was a Greek political party formed in 1955 by Konstantinos Karamanlis out of the Greek Rally party....
.