50 YEARS OF GREECE SINCE THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY: THE ROLE OF THE 1975 CONSTITUTION

To fully grasp the resilience, quality, foresight, radicalism, effectiveness, and enduring value of the 1975 Constitution, one must examine it beyond the temporal confines of the era in which it was adopted . It should be placed within the broader historical timeline of the modern Greek state, from its recognition as “Greece” (a term imposed by the Great Powers) in 1830, achieved through the selfless efforts of Governor Ioannis Kapodistrias, through to the present-day “Hellenic Republic”, which earned not only historical and terminological continuity with its illustrious cultural heritage, but also a prominent position within the hard core of the European commonwealth, thanks to the intelligent and persistent efforts of the Ethnarch Konstantinos Karamanlis . Over the 200 years of its modern history, Greece experienced, between 1830 and 1974, a turbulent political and institutional landscape that included 27 regime changes, hundreds of governments, and an array of military conflicts, occupations, dictatorships, national divisions, bankruptcies, national catastrophes, migration, and poverty. In contrast, from 1975 to today, a period spanning half a century, the nation has enjoyed its most stable, high-quality, and effective democracy. This achievement should not be taken for granted, but must be continually safeguarded and improved, particularly as we now enter a period of uncertainty, shaped by unprecedented risks and opportunities brought about by technological advancements, especially artificial intelligence. Understanding the resilience of Greece’s modern Republic requires acknowledging the methodical, systematic, daring, and determined efforts of its architect, Konstantinos Karamanlis. Emerging from a prolonged dictatorship, Karamanlis navigated a deeply challenging landscape to restore democracy and position Greece on a path of stability and growth. The dictatorship had: • isolated Greece on the international stage, leading to its withdrawal from the Council of Europe; • stalled negotiations initiated by Karamanlis in the 1950s for Greece’s accession to the European Community; • triggered catastrophic consequences from Turkey’s illegal invasion and occupation of Cyprus, which brought Greece perilously close to an extended and devastating Greco-Turkish war . In this hostile environment, amidst threats to his life from remnants of the junta, Karamanlis succeeded in restoring normality to the nation. Through nine swift and targeted actions, he laid the foundations of the most resilient democracy Greece had ever experienced.