January 16, 2026

Athens News

News in English from Greece

Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis has passed away (video)


Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis died early this morning, Sunday 5 January, at the age of 88.

He was taken to the Corinthian hospital from his residence in Agia Theodorou without a pulse. Despite the efforts of doctors to revive him, doctors pronounced the politician dead. Currently, reports CNN Greece, a forensic examination is being carried out to determine the cause of his death.

Kostas Simitis was a university professor and politician. He was President of PASOK (30 June 1996 – 8 February 2004), Prime Minister (18 January 1996 – 10 March 2004).

After the fall of the junta in 1974, he was one of the founders of the PA.S.O.K. (Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα) and held several ministerial posts when his party came to power.

On 18 January 1996, he succeeded Andreas Papandreou as Prime Minister following a vote by the PA.SO.K parliamentary group. On June 30, 1996, a few days after the death of Andreas Papandreou, Costas Simitis was elected president of PA.SO.K. at the IV Party Congress. He was re-elected prime minister after winning elections in September 1996 and April 2000.

On January 7, 2004, he announced his resignation as President of the PA.S.C. On February 8, 2004, he was replaced in this post by George Papandreou. He served as Prime Minister until March 10, 2004.

Costas Simitis studied law at the University of Marburg in West Germany and economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He began his academic career as a doctor of laws at the University of Marburg in 1959. He taught as an associate professor at the University of Konstanz in 1971 and continued to work as a professor of commercial and civil law at the University of Giessen from 1971 to 1975. In 1977 he was elected professor at the Panteio School.

Costas Simitis is married to Daphne Simitis, née Arcadiou, whom he met while they were both studying at the London School of Economics. They have two daughters.

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