Papandreou, Andreas (1919–1996)

Andreas Papandreou studied at the Law School of the University of Athens and as early as 1936 he was impeached by the dictatorial regime of the time. In 1941 he set out from Greece for the United States, where he pursued an academic career in economics and philosophy at Harvard University. In 1947 he became assistant professor at Harvard University and then professor at the University of Minnesota, the University of California, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. In 1951, he married Margarita Tsant. This was his second marriage, which gave him four children, among them George (present leader of the opposition). At the invitation of Konstantinos Karamanlis, his subsequent political opponent, he came back to Greece in 1961. In the 1964 elections, he was elected with the party of Enosis Kentrou (Union of the Center), led by his father George, who had been a prominent politician during the 1950s and '60s.

In April 1967, Papandreou was arrested by the Dictatorship of the Colonels. He was released the following year, when he departed for Paris and settled first in Sweden and then Canada. While in exile he initiated extensive antidictatorial activity. After the restoration of democracy in Greece, he returned home and founded the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Panhellinio Socialistiko Kinima; PASOK). In the first postauthoritarian elections, in November 1974, PASOK was initially represented by only a few members of Parliament (MPs). In the next parliamentary elections, in November 1977, its strength was doubled and Papandreou became the leader of the opposition.

During the period between 1977 and 1981, PASOK managed to establish itself as an hegemonic political force, which capitalized on the ability and populist charisma of its leader. In the 1981 elections, when PASOK campaigned with the catchword of “change” (allagi), it ranked first party with an absolute majority in Parliament. In 1985's elections PASOK was again elected first party (45.8% of the vote). PASOK and Andreas Papandreou dominated the political scene during the '80s, which has been described as a “populist decade.” With regards to political communication, PASOK's and Papandreou's political discourse and style of campaign were, among other characteristics, polarizing, anti-American, underdog, nationalist, and mobilizing.

In 1988, Andreas Papandreou underwent a serious heart operation. In the national elections of June 1989, PASOK proved wrong all those who had predicted a dramatic downfall and placed second, with 39.1% of the vote. In September 1989, Papandreou was referred to a special court after a decision of the Greek Parliament relating to political and economic scandals. The long trial attracted the news media's attention and was reported live. In January 1991, Andreas Papandreou was found not guilty by the special court—in which he never appeared.

In 1993, PASOK's electoral victory was a vindication for Papandreou, who despite his poor health staged a triumphant return to power. In those elections “telepolitics” was widely implemented by PASOK and other parties as they applied political marketing tools and focused on television news programs, positive and negative political advertising, and political talk shows. Afterward he abandoned his former populist strategy and adopted a more realistic attitude. In November 1995 he developed serious health problems, and he resigned as prime minister in January 1996. He passed away on June 23, 1996.

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