French Party (Greece)

The French Party ( _el. Γαλλικό Κόμμα) was one of the three informal Early Greek Parties that dominated the early political history of Modern Greece, the other two being the Russian and the English Party.

History and party development

The creation and evolution of these Parties was the effect of the interest that the three Great Powers (the United Kingdom, France and Russia) displayed for Greek affairs. As a result, they counted on the hope that Greeks had, that by supporting them those countries would also help the Greek Kingdom to fulfill its expectations for economic progress and territorial expansion.

The French party began as a political faction centered on Ioannis Kolettis during the Second National Assembly at Astros in 1824. [Petropulos, John, pp. 85-86] Kolettis was the most powerful political leader emerging from the assembly and that added strength to his faction. [Petropulos, John, pp. 88-89]

The parties were also defined by the so-called "Three Intrigues" by which each faction supported a post-revolutionary leader of the respective power. The French faction supported the Duke of Nemours brother of the future king of France in 1825. [Petropulos, John, pp. 98-100] The other factions responded by supporting others for the throne.

During the Governorship of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the French party and English party were both opposed to the ruling Russian (or Napist) party. This coalition would continue under the rubrik of demanding a written constitution. By 1831 or 1832 as the new Bavarian monarch, Otto was being selected as king, the French party was firmly established by Kolettis. [Petropulos, John, pp. 136]

The party had support in Central Greece, especially East Rumely and Euboea but was also strong among Pelopponesian landowners of the Deligiannis faction.

Leaders of the party

Even though the party was an informal grouping, Kolettis was its dominating leader and the French party, of all the Greek parties of the period, was centered on its leader. Nevertheless, certain other factional leaders were important in the development of the party, including
* Yannis Makriyannis (leader of the constitutional revolt of 1843)
* Adam Doukas
* George Kountouriotis
* Nikolaos Botases

Eventually, the party, like the other early great-power client parties lost power and were replaced in the reign of King George I by more idealogical parties.

Sources

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References and Notes