Leonidas Kyrkos
Encyclopedia
Leonidas Kyrkos (12 October 1924 – 28 August 2011) was a Greek leftist politician and member of the Hellenic Parliament
and the European Parliament
.
, to Michail Kyrkos, who, along with Ioannis Pasalidis, formed the United Democratic Left
in 1951."Έφυγε από τη ζωή σε ηλικία 87 ετών ο Λεωνίδας Κύρκος", in.gr, 28 August 2011. Kyrkos was elected MP to the Greek Parliament in the elections of 1961
, 1963
and 1964
.
On 21 April 1967, during the coup d'etat that installed the military junta, he was arrested and remained imprisoned for five years. After the restoration of democracy in 1974, he was elected MP in 1974
and 1977
, and MEP in 1981
and 1984
.
Kyrkos held the posts of president and general secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (Interior)
until April 1987, when he left to become president of the Greek Left
party. Along with Charilaos Florakis
, leader of the Communist Party of Greece
, he founded the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismós), of which was secretary until March 1991. He was an MP for the coalition from 1989 to 1993. In 2000, his party nominated him for the position of President of Greece
. In 2010, he offered his support in a letter for the Democratic Left
.
Kyrkos died aged 86 on 28 August 2011, after a long illness. His funeral will take place at the First Cemetery of Athens
on August 31.
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
and the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
Life
Leonidas Kyrkos was born in Irakleio, CreteCrete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, to Michail Kyrkos, who, along with Ioannis Pasalidis, formed the United Democratic Left
United Democratic Left
The United Democratic Left was a political party in Greece, active mostly before the Greek military junta of 1967-1974.-Foundation:...
in 1951."Έφυγε από τη ζωή σε ηλικία 87 ετών ο Λεωνίδας Κύρκος", in.gr, 28 August 2011. Kyrkos was elected MP to the Greek Parliament in the elections of 1961
Greek legislative election, 1961
The Greek legislative election of the 29 October 1961 resulted in the third in a row victory for Constantine Karamanlis and his National Radical Union party....
, 1963
Greek legislative election, 1963
The Greek legislative election of the 3 November 1963 resulted in a narrow victory for the Center Union of Georgios Papandreou after three consecutive victories of Constantine Karamanlis and his National Radical Union party and after 11 years, during which the conservative parties ruled...
and 1964
Greek legislative election, 1964
The Greek legislative election of the 19 February 1964 resulted in a clear victory for Georgios Papandreou and his Center Union party.Georgios Papandreou had formed an interim government just after the legislative elections of 1963, in order to carry out new elections, because no party had the...
.
On 21 April 1967, during the coup d'etat that installed the military junta, he was arrested and remained imprisoned for five years. After the restoration of democracy in 1974, he was elected MP in 1974
Greek legislative election, 1974
The first free elections since 1964 and after the end of the Greek military junta of 1967-1974 took place in Greece on November 17, 1974 during the metapolitefsi....
and 1977
Greek legislative election, 1977
In the Greek legislative election, 1977, Prime Minister, Constantine Karamanlis, called for early elections. His party, New Democracy, suffered a significant loss of power, but, nevertheless, Karamanlis managed to secure an absolute majority in the Parliament. The big surprise was the success of...
, and MEP in 1981
European Parliament election, 1981 (Greece)
The European Parliament election of 1981 in Greece was the election of the delegation from Greece to the European Parliament in 1981. The rest of the European Community voted in 1979 before Greece became a member state...
and 1984
European Parliament election, 1984 (Greece)
The European Parliament election of 1984 in Greece was the election of the delegation from Greece to the European Parliament in 1984. This was the second European election and the first time Greece voted with the rest of the Community....
.
Kyrkos held the posts of president and general secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (Interior)
Communist Party of Greece (Interior)
The Communist Party of Greece, Interior , usually abbreviated as KKE Interior was a communist political party in Greece. The party was formed after a major split of the Communist Party of Greece in 1968...
until April 1987, when he left to become president of the Greek Left
Greek Left
Greek Left was a Greek leftwing political party.It emerged, in January 1987, from the split in the Communist Party of Greece into the Communist Party of Greece -Renewing Left and the Greek Left. Its ideology was Eurocommunism....
party. Along with Charilaos Florakis
Charilaos Florakis
Charilaos Florakis was a leader of the Communist Party of Greece .Florakis was born on 20 July 1914 in the village of Paliozoglopi, located near Agrafa in the Itamos municipality, prefecture of Karditsa, Greece. He joined KKE, in 1941...
, leader of the Communist Party of Greece
Communist Party of Greece
Founded in 1918, the Communist Party of Greece , better known by its acronym, ΚΚΕ , is the oldest party on the Greek political scene.- Foundation :...
, he founded the Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismós), of which was secretary until March 1991. He was an MP for the coalition from 1989 to 1993. In 2000, his party nominated him for the position of President of Greece
President of Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic , colloquially referred to in English as the President of Greece, is the head of state of Greece. The office of the President of the Republic was established after the Greek republic referendum, 1974 and formally by the Constitution of Greece in 1975. The...
. In 2010, he offered his support in a letter for the Democratic Left
Democratic Left (Greece)
Democratic Left is a Greek democratic socialist political party.It emerged, in June 2010, when the members of the moderate Renewal Wing platform left the Coalition of the Left of Movements and Ecology, or Synaspismos, at its 6th congress.-Principles:...
.
Kyrkos died aged 86 on 28 August 2011, after a long illness. His funeral will take place at the First Cemetery of Athens
First Cemetery of Athens
The First Cemetery of Athens is the official cemetery of the City of Athens and the first to be built. It opened in 1837 and soon became a luxurious cemetery for famous Greek people and foreigners....
on August 31.