Kostas Bakoyannis

Kostas Bakoyannis
Κώστας Μπακογιάννης
Regional Governor of Central Greece
Assumed office
1 September 2014
Preceded by Klearchos Pergantas
Mayor of Karpenisi
In office
1 January 2011  31 August 2014
Personal details
Born (1978-03-16) 16 March 1978
Athens, Greece
Political party Independent
Parents Dora and Pavlos Bakoyannis
Alma mater Brown University, Harvard

Kostas Bakoyannis (Greek: Κώστας Μπακογιάννης; born 16 March 1978 in Athens) is a Greek independent politician. Having served as mayor of Central Greek town of Karpenisi, he was popularly elected Regional governor of Central Greece in the 2014 region election.

Biography

Born 1978 in Athens to Nea Dimokratia politicians Dora and Pavlos Bakoyannis, Kostas Bakoyannis lost his father Pavlos in 1989, when he was assassinated by the leftist terrorist group,[1] Revolutionary Organization 17 November. He studied history and International Relations at Brown University and graduated from Harvard with a Master of Public Administration. He is currently working on his PhD thesis at the University of Oxford, in the field of Political Science and International Relations. He speaks English and German.[2] Kostas Bakoyannis’ articles are often published in the Greek and foreign press.[3]

Mayor of Karpenisi

In August 2010, Bakoyannis announced to run for mayoral office as an independent candidate in the small town of Karpenisi in Evrytania, where his father had originally come from. Nea Demokratia decided not to challenge Bakoyannis with an own candidate,[4] though the party had expelled his mother Dora in May for voting in favor of the austerity measures proposed by the Papandreou government.[5]

Bakoyannis won the local elections with 54.3%. In a To Vima interview he strongly defended the bailout deal stating that "where we have come to after all the crimes that the Greek political system made over the past 30 years, we had no choice but the Memorandum." He said that he wouldn't rule out joining the new Democratic Alliance party his mother had founded, and that "Greece needs suicidal governments ready to kill themselves to save the country."[6]

Regional governor of Central Greece

Having promised in 2010 he would remain mayor of Karpenisi,[6] Bakoyannis announced in early 2014 that he would run for the governorship of Central Greece, again as an independent.[7] He was however backed by Nea Demokratia which again nominated no own candidate, and clearly won the 2014 regional election with 56.06% in the second round, defeating Syriza's candidate Evangelos Apostolou.[8]

References

  1. "Foreign Terrorist Organizations". National Counterterrorism Center. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  2. "Kostas Bakoyannis". 16 April 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  3. "Greece Must Stay on the Side of Europe". 16 April 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  4. Tzotzadini, Anny (24 August 2010). "Costas Bakoyannis Runs for Karpenisi Mayor". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  5. Aftzigianni, Venetia (20 November 2010). "Dora Bakoyannis to Launch New Political Party on Sunday". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Show business, politics and mayoral elections". GRReporter. 18 November 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  7. "Costas Bakoyannis to run for the governorship of Central Greece". Kathimerini. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  8. "Local elections: Dourou wins Attica, Kaminis reelected in Athens". To Vima. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
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