Following his victory in legislative elections held on 25 January 2015, the newly elected prime minister Alexis Tsipras appointed a new cabinet to succeed the cabinet of Antonis Samaras, his predecessor.[1] A significant reshuffle took place on 17 July 2015.
First Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras | |
|---|---|
 Cabinet of Greece | |
 Alexis Tsipras in 2015 | |
| Date formed | 26 January 2015 |
| Date dissolved | 27 August 2015 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Prokopis Pavlopoulos |
| Head of government | Alexis Tsipras |
| Deputy head of government | Yannis Dragasakis |
| No. of ministers | 13 |
| Total no. of members | 46 |
| Member parties | Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA), Independent Greeks (ANEL) (with participation from Ecologist Greens and independents) |
| Status in legislature | SYRIZA-led coalition government 162/300 (54%)
|
| Opposition parties | New Democracy LAE (from 21/08/15) Golden Dawn To Potami Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) |
| Opposition leader | Antonis Samaras (Until 05/07/15) Vangelis Meimarakis (From 05/07/15) |
| History | |
| Election | January 2015 Greek legislative election |
| Legislature term | 16th (2015–2015) |
| Predecessor | Samaras Cabinet |
| Successor | Thanou-Christophilou Caretaker Cabinet |
Tsipras resigned as prime minister on 20 August 2015, and after opposition parties failed to form their own government, on 27 August Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou was appointed as an interim prime minister, and her caretaker cabinet was sworn in on 28 August. Following the subsequent September legislative election, Tsipras was re-appointed as prime minister on 21 September and appointed a second cabinet that was sworn in on 23 September.
Composition of the cabinet
editThe cabinet is composed of 35 members, alongside 6 deputy ministers. Including the deputy ministers the cabinet comprises 6 females and 35 males. It reflects the majority coalition in Parliament. It is composed of the winning Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) with the support of the right-wing anti-austerity party, Independent Greeks (ANEL). The Ecologist Greens (OP), which had withdrawn from the election in support of SYRIZA, were given the office of Alternate Minister of Environment and Energy. Finally, some ministers do not belong to any party.
Oath of office
editMost members of the cabinet were sworn in on 27 January 2015,[2] with the exception of the new Minister of Justice Nikos Paraskevopoulos, who was sworn in a day later,[3] and the Alternate Ministers Christodoulopoulou, Spirtzis and Fotakis who were sworn in almost two months later.
While most representatives of Syriza chose a civil oath of office, the ANEL representatives as well as Yiannis Panousis, Dimitris Mardas and Panagiotis Nikoloudis chose a religious oath before a representative of the Greek orthodox Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens.[3]
Cabinet list
editPrime minister
edit| Office[4] | Incumbent | Party | Tenure | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Prime Minister | Alexis Tsipras | SYRIZA | 26 January 2015 - 27 August 2015 | |
|
Deputy Prime Minister | Yannis Dragasakis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 - 28 August 2015 | |
Government Ministries
editThe number of ministries has been reduced to ten, including four merged ministries:[5]
- The merged Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction succeeds the ministries of 1) Interior, 2) Administrative Reform and E-Government, 3) Public Order and Citizen Protection, and 4) Macedonia and Thrace.
- The merged Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Marine and Tourism succeeds the ministries of 1) Development and Competitiveness, 2) Marine and Aegean, 3) Tourism, and 4) Infrastructure, Transport and Networks.
- The merged Ministry of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy succeeds the ministries of 1) Environment, Energy and Climate Change, 2) Rural Development and Food, and 3) the services of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Industry Development and Competitiveness.
- The merged Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs succeeds the ministries of 1) Culture and Sport, and 2) Education.
Alternate Ministers are directly assigned special responsibilities and powers by the prime minister, including:[6]
- full parliamentary powers and, in conjunction with the minister, the legislative initiative
- the right to issue individual and normative acts, and to propose individual and normative decrees
Full ministers however retain:
- the identification of ministerial policy in the cabinet
- the representation in bodies of the European Union
- the appointment of administrative agencies, public services and personnel
Deputy ministers are assigned with responsibilities and powers by the prime minister and the full minister they report to.
| Ministry[7] | Office[4] | Incumbent | Party | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ministry of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction |
Minister of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction | Nikos Voutsis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Alternate Minister of Administrative Reform | Georgios Katrougalos | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 17 July 2015 | ||
| Christophoros Vernardakis | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |||
| Alternate Minister of Citizen Protection | Giannis Panousis | Independent | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Immigration Policy | Tasia Christodoulopoulou | SYRIZA | 21 March 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Deputy Minister for Macedonia and Thrace | Maria Kollia-Tsarouchaa | ANEL | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction | Pavlos Polakis | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 2. Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism |
Minister of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism | Giorgos Stathakis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Alternate Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks | Christos Spirtzis | SYRIZA | 28 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Shipping | Thodoris Dritsas | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Tourism | Elena Kountoura | ANEL | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 3. Ministry of National Defence |
Minister of National Defence | Panos Kammenos | ANEL | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Alternate Minister of National Defence | Kostas Isyhos | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 17 July 2015 | ||
| Dimitris Vitsas | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |||
| Deputy Minister of National Defence | Nikos Toskasa | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 4. Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs |
Minister of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs | Aristides Baltas | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Alternate Minister of Culture | Nikos Xydakis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Education | Tasos Kourakis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Research and Innovation | Kostas Fotakis | Independent | 21 March 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Deputy Minister of Sports | Stavros Kontonisa | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 5. Ministry of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy |
Minister of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy | Panagiotis Lafazanis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 17 July 2015 | |
| Panos Skourletis | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |||
| Alternate Minister of Environment and Energy | Giannis Tsironis | OP | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Agricultural Development and Food | Evangelos Apostolou | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development | Panagiotis Sgouridisa | ANEL | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 6. Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights |
Minister of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights | Nikos Paraskevopoulos | Independent | 28 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Alternate Minister of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights | Dimitris Papangelopoulos | Independent | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 7. Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | Nikos Kotzias | Independent | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Alternate Minister of European Affairs | Nikos Hountis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 13 July 2015 | ||
| Sia Anagnostopoulou | SYRIZA | 18 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |||
| Alternate Minister of International Economic Relations | Euclid Tsakalotos | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 6 July 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs | Ioannis Amanatidis | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 8. Ministry of Finance |
Minister of Finance | Yanis Varoufakis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 6 July 2015 | |
| Euclid Tsakalotos | SYRIZA | 6 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |||
| Alternate Minister of Finance | Nadia Valavani | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 15 July 2015 | ||
| Tryfon Alexiadis | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |||
| Alternate Minister of Revenue | Dimitris Mardas | Independent | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 9. Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity |
Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity | Panos Skourletis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 17 July 2015 | |
| Georgios Katrougalos | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |||
| Alternate Minister of Social Solidarity | Theano Fotiou | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister for Combatting Unemployment | Rania Antonopoulou | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Alternate Minister of Social Security | Dimitris Stratoulis | SYRIZA | 21 March 2015 – 17 July 2015 | ||
| Deputy Minister of Social Security | Pavlos Haikalis | ANEL | 18 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 10. Ministry of Health and Social Security |
Minister of Health and Social Security | Panagiotis Kouroumplis | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Alternate Minister of Health | Andreas Xanthos | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
Ministers of State
edit| Rank[8] | Office[4] | Incumbent | Party | In office since | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Minister of State | Nikos Pappas | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| 2. | Minister of State for Coordinating Government Operations | Alekos Flambouraris | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of State for Coordinating Government Operations | Terence Quicka | ANEL | 27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| 3. | Minister of State for Combatting Corruption | Panagiotis Nikoloudis | Independent | 27 January 2015 – 23 September 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson | Gabriel Sakellaridisa | SYRIZA | 27 January 2015 – 17 July 2015 | ||
| Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister | Terence Quicka | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
| Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson | Olga Gerovassili | SYRIZA | 17 July 2015 – 28 August 2015 | ||
Bold denotes full ministers attending the weekly cabinet council.
a Deputy ministers are not members of the cabinet but may attend cabinet meetings.
References:[9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
Changes
editResignations
editYanis Varoufakis, the Minister of Finance, resigned on 6 July 2015, following the 'No' vote in the Greek bailout referendum. In a blog post on his website, Varoufakis wrote: "Soon after the announcement of the referendum results, I was made aware of a certain preference by some Eurogroup participants, and assorted 'partners', for my... 'absence' from its meetings; an idea that the prime minister judged to be potentially helpful to him in reaching an agreement. For this reason I am leaving the Ministry of Finance today."[16] Varoufakis was succeeded as Minister of Finance by Euclid Tsakalotos. Tsakalotos in turn left his role as Alternate Minister of International Economic Affairs, leaving the position vacant.
Nikolaos Chountis, the Alternate Minister of European Affairs, resigned on 13 July 2015, three days before the debate on the first round of measures in the tenth austerity package began in the Hellenic Parliament. He also resigned from his parliamentary seat. Chountis subsequently took up the post of Member of the European Parliament for Greece, following Manolis Glezos's resignation.[17] Chountis was replaced as Alternate Minister of European Affairs by Sia Anagnostopoulou, as part of the 17 July cabinet reshuffle.
Nadia Valavani, the Alternate Minister of Finance, resigned on 15 July 2015, the day before the vote on the first round of measures in the tenth austerity package were debated in the Hellenic Parliament.[citation needed] Valavani was succeeded in her role by Tryfon Alexiadis on 17 July, as part of the cabinet reshuffle.[18]
17 July 2015 cabinet reshuffle
editFollowing a number of cabinet members voting against the government on the first set of measures in the tenth austerity package on 16 July 2015, Alexis Tsipras reshuffled his cabinet. The reshuffle took place on 17 July, and the new ministers were sworn in on 18 July. The most notable move was to remove Panagiotis Lafazanis from his ministerial role.[18][19]
Cabinet members that were removed from cabinet:
- Panagiotis Lafazanis, the Minister of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy
- Kostas Isyhos, the Alternate Minister of National Defence
- Dimitris Stratoulis, the Alternate Minister of Social Security
Existing cabinet members that took on new roles:
- Panos Skourletis, the Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity, became the Minister of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy
- Georgios Katrougalos, the Alternate Minister of Administrative Reform, became the Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity
- Gabriel Sakellaridis, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson, became a Parliamentary Spokesperson
- Olga Gerovasili, a Parliamentary Spokesperson, became the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson
New cabinet members:
- Christophoros Vernardakis became the Alternate Minister of Administrative Reform
- Tryfon Alexiadis became the Alternate Minister of Finance
- Dimitris Vitsas became the Alternate Minister of National Defence
- Pavlos Haikalis became the Deputy Minister of Social Security
- Pavlos Polakis became an Alternate Minister of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction
- Sia Anagnostopoulou became the Alternate Minister of European Affairs
- Giannis Amanatidis became an Alternate Foreign Minister
Along with ministerial changes, a special committee to combat corruption was also proposed by the Prime Minister, to be headed by the Minister of State for Combatting Corruption Panagiotis Nikoloudis. The committee would consist of Tryfon Alexiadis, Pavlos Polakis, Dimitris Papagelopoulos and Terence Quick.[15]
Newly appointed Minister of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Panos Skourletis described the reshuffle as an "adjustment by the government to a new reality".[19]
References
edit- ^ "Government announces the new ministerial cabinet". To Vima. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
- ^ "Greece anti-bailout leader Tsipras made prime minister". BBC News. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ a b "New SYRIZA cabinet sworn in at the presidential mansion". Capital.gr. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^ a b c Η σύνθεση της Κυβέρνησης [Composition of the Government] (in Greek). Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ "Government will compose four merged Ministries and six "small ones"". Proto Thema. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ Ανάθεση αρμοδιοτήτων στην Αναπληρώτρια Υπουργό Εργασίας και Κοινωνικής Αλληλεγγύης Ουρανίας Αντωνοπούλου [Delegation of authority to the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity Ourania Antonopoulou] (PDF) (in Greek). Prime Minister of Greece. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ Καθορισμός σειράς τάξης των Υπουργείων [Sequencing order of Ministries] (PDF) (in Greek). Prime Minister of Greece. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ Καθορισμός σειράς προβαδίσματος των Υπουργών Επικρατείας [Precedence order of State Ministers] (PDF) (in Greek). Prime Minister of Greece. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ "The new cabinet". Kathimerini. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "New government announced, first cabinet meeting on Wednesday January 28". Greek News. 27 January 2015. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "Small cabinet group to meet every week, gov't sources say". newsbomb.gr. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "Tsipras unveils anti-austerity cabinet". Kathimerini. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "Με διπλή τελετή η ορκωμοσία της κυβέρνησης". Nooz.gr. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "The rise of 'Dr Doom': Yanis Varoufakis' explosive new role". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ a b c Adamopoulos, Anastassios. "Greek Government Announces Cabinet Reshuffle". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ Farrer, Martin; Rankin, Jennifer; Traynor, Ian (6 July 2015). "Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis resigns despite referendum no vote". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ Panoutsopoulou, Magda (14 July 2015). "Resistance builds in Greek parliament to bailout plan". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ a b c Smith, Helena (17 July 2015). "Alexis Tsipras reshuffles cabinet to get rid of bailout dissidents". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ a b c "New Greek ministers sworn in after Tsipras' cabinet reshuffle". Hurriyet Daily News. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ Adamopoulos, Anastassios (18 July 2015). "The 8 New Faces of the Greek Government: Tsipras Reshuffles Cabinet". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 12 August 2015.