Andreas Papandreaou Biography

Andreas Papandreou was the son of late Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and Sophia Meneiko.

He began his studies as a law student at the University of Athens in 1936. He displayed an early interest in politics, championing progressive ideas that got him into difficulties with the Metaxas dictatorship.

He was subsequently arrested and tortured, and after his release left Greece to continue his education in the United States.

After receiving his PhD in economics from Harvard University, he spent the next two decades teaching at several universities.

Papandreou returned to Greece in 1959, where he headed an economic development research programme. In 1963, his father became prime minister. Andreas became his chief economic advisor and was eventually elected to the Greek Parliament himself in 1964.

When the Greek Colonels led by George Papadopolous seized power during a military coup in April 1967, Andreas and George Papandreou were both imprisoned. George died under house arrest in 1968, while Andreas was again forced to leave the country.

In exile, Papandreou formed what later became the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok). After the fall of the junta in 1974, he returned to Greece and went on to serve as the country's first socialist premier in 1981.

He promoted generous social-welfare programmes, but his government was weakened by financial scandals and mounting budget deficits and he resigned in 1989.

He again became prime minister in 1993, but ill health forced him to retire in 1996.