Themistoklis Sophoulis

Themistoklis Sophoulis (1860-1949) (or Themistoklis Sofoulis, Greek: Θεμιστοκλής Σοφούλης) was a prominent centrist politician, belonging to the centre-left wing of the Liberal Party, which he led for many years.

Early life

Sophoulis was born in 1860 in the Vathy of Samos. His father was the agonist Panagiotis Sophoulis, who had fought for the autonomy of his island. Sophoulis studied in the faculty of philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and then in Germany, where he specialised in archaeology. As an archaeologist he published certain insightful surveys and he participited actively in various excavations around Greece.

Entering Samos' politics

In 1900 he abandoned archaeological excavations and he was elected a deputy for Samos, being the leader of his own radical faction, which was fighting for the political freedoms of Samos, as stipulated by the Treaty of autonomy of 1832. Soon, Sophoulis ruled the island, supported by the progressive and liberal fractions.

In 1907 Sophoulis confronted the governor of the island, appointed by Turkey, Andreas Kopasis, who asked for the intervention of the Turkish military. During the riots, which resulted in the intervention of the army, Sophoulis was the leader of the Greeks of the island. Nonetheless, the prominent politician was obliged to flee for the mainland Greece, when Andreas Kopasis was murdered. Kopasis was succeeded by Grigorios Vegleris and in 1912 a new movement erupted, causing the return of Sophoulis and the new inervention of the Turkish army. A truce was agreed the 23 December 1912, when the Turkish Army returned to Asia Minor.

The 11 November 1912, the revolutionary Commission of Samos, under Sophoulis' leadership, issued a resolution, demanding the unification of the island with Greece.

The unification took place officially the 2 March 1913. Sophoulis remained for a while as the president of the interim government of Samos, until the April of 1914, when he was appointed general commander of Macedonia. He remained in Thessaloniki until the February of 1915, but he then resigned, following his leader, Eleftherios Venizelos, who had a bitter dispute with King Constantine I.

Entering Greek politics

Sophoulis was first elected a deputy to the Hellenic Parliament in the elections of May 1915. He also served as Interior Minister in Venizelos' National Defence government in Thessaloniki. After the exile of Constantine I, Eleftherios Venizelos and his government returned to Athens, where Sophoulis was elected speaker of the Parliament. He held his post until 1920.

Leader of the Liberal Party

After Venizelos fled from Greece, Sophoulis became the new leader of the Liberal Party.

First Premiership

He served as prime minister, for the first time, from the 25 July 1924 since the 27 November 1924.

peaker of the Parliament

In 1926, after the overthrow of Theodoros Pangalos' dictatorship, he served as Speaker of the Parliament, until 1928, when Venizelos achieved a landslide victory in the elections of 1928. He served as a member of the government until 1930, when he was re-elected Speaker of the Parliament. During all these years he was recognised as the deputy leader of the Liberal Party, although such post did not, officially, exist. Sophoulis remained Speaker of the Parliament until the elections of 1933, when the Liberal Party suffered a defeat and the People's Party formed a government under the leadership of Panagis Tsaldaris.

During the dramatic events, which led to the resignation of Panagis Tsaldaris and the restoration of the constitutional monarchy, Themistoklis Sophoulis kept a moderate stance, which was appreciated by King George II. On 16 March 1936 "Sophoulis" was re-elected Speaker of the Parliament.

The same year he signed the notorious Sophoulis-Sklavainas Pact with the KKE.

During Ioannis Metaxas' dictatorship, Sophoulis remained moderate and not so vocal.

In 1944, he was arrested by the German Army, which restrained him in his house. During the German occupation (1941-1944), Sopoulis suffered very much, lacking a house to live in, but at the same time, he participated actively in the resistance, having indirect contacts with the Army in the Middle East.

econd and third premiership

Themistoklis Sophoulis served as head of the Greek government from 1945 to 4 April 1946, but in the legislative elections of 1946 he suffered defeat at the hands of the People's Party of Konstantinos Tsaldaris. However, on 7 September 1947 he became prime minister once again in a government of both the Liberal Party and the People's Party.

Sophoulis led the government during the Greek Civil War, playing a very important role in the final victory of the Hellenic Army. In 1949, he was the one who convinced Alexandros Papagos to return to the post of army general.

He died, however, before the end of the civil conflicts, the 24 June 1949, at the age of 89.

Legacy

Although he belonged to the center-left, Sophoulis led the government and the army during the civil war. He was admired for his lucidity and his courage despite his age and he was revered by all the politicians of the center-left, the center and the right.

The main characteristic of his political career was his ability to balance. That is why during 1935-1940 he was not outspoken against the King or against the dictatorship. This ability of his allowed him to lead the country during the Civil War and to convince Papagos to return, although the latter belonged to the right wing of the political spectrum.