Karamanlis, Costas

Karamanlis, Costas (Konstantinos Alexandrou Karamanlis) (kō'stäs kärämänlēs', kōnstäntē'nōs älek'sän&thstrok;OO) [key], 1956–, Greek politician, b. Athens. The nephew of Constantine Karamanlis, he is a lawyer and member of the center-right New Democratic party (NDP; founded by his uncle). He was first elected to parliament in 1989 and rose quickly in the NDP, becoming a member of its central committee in 1993 and party leader in 1997. When the NDP soundly defeated the ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in 2004, Karamanlis became prime minister. In office, he has emphasized fighting political and economic corruption, privatization of some state-run enterprises and job creation, and improving education and other services. His government narrowly retained its majority after the 2007 elections.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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