Second Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras

The Second Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras was sworn in on 23 September 2015, following the Greek legislative election in September 2015. Alexis Tsipras, leader of Syriza, was sworn in as Prime Minister of Greece on 21 September, having agreed to re-form the coalition with Panos Kammenos and the Independent Greeks.

Second Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras

Cabinet of Greece
Alexis Tsipras in 2015
Date formed21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)
Date dissolved8 July 2019
People and organisations
Head of stateProkopis Pavlopoulos
Head of governmentAlexis Tsipras
Deputy head of governmentYannis Dragasakis
No. of ministers15
Total no. of members45
Member partiesSyriza
ANEL
with participation from the Ecologist Greens (Until 14/01/19)
Syriza
with participation from the Ecologist Greens and Independents (from 14/01/19)
Status in legislatureSyriza-led coalition government (until 14/01/19)
155 / 300 (52%)

Syriza-led minority government (from 14/01/19)
151 / 300 (50%)
Opposition partiesNew Democracy
Democratic Alignment
Golden Dawn
Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
Union of Centrists (until 30/05/2019)
The River
Independent Greeks (until 08/02/19)
Opposition leaderVangelis Meimarakis (until 24/11/15)
Ioannis Plakiotakis (24/11/15 - 10/01/16)
Kyriakos Mitsotakis (from 10/01/16)
History
ElectionSeptember 2015 Greek legislative election
Legislature term17th (2015–2019)
PredecessorThanou-Christophilou Caretaker Cabinet
SuccessorKyriakos Mitsotakis Cabinet

On 16 June 2018 the Hellenic Parliament rejected motion of no confidence against the government with a 127-153 vote.[1]

Background

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The First Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras was formed following the legislative election in January 2015, and was a coalition of Syriza and the Independent Greeks. Most notably, the government had to deal with the Greek government-debt crisis, but was also responsible for the early July bailout referendum. Throughout the duration of their term, their main responsibility was re-negotiating the terms of the third bailout package.

During the vote on the third bailout package in the Hellenic Parliament, a number of Syriza MPs voted against the package resulting in the government officially losing its majority. For this reason, Tsipras and the government resigned on 20 August and called for a snap election to take place on 20 September. Prokopis Pavlopoulos, the President of Greece had to allow for all the opposition parties to attempt to form a government of their own, but none of them had sufficient numbers of MPs. Subsequently, a caretaker cabinet led by Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou was formed on 27 August to lead the country into the election.

During the election campaign period, opinion polls had suggested that Syriza and New Democracy, led by Vangelis Meimarakis, were neck and neck, with some polls showing New Democracy ahead and others showing Syriza ahead. The exit polls generally showed that Syriza was on 30-34%, and New Democracy was on 28.5-32.5%.

Formation

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At approximately 12:00 GMT on 21 September, Tsipras met with Panos Kammenos, his former coalition partner, at the Syriza party HQ in Athens. At the meeting, they discussed the make-up of the new cabinet.[2]

Composition

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Prime minister

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Office[3] Incumbent Party In office since
  Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Syriza 21 September 2015
  Deputy Prime Minister Yannis Dragasakis Syriza 23 September 2015

Ministerial responsibilities

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Alternate Ministers are directly assigned special responsibilities and powers by the prime minister, including:[4]

  • full parliamentary powers and, in conjunction with the minister, the legislative initiative
  • the right to issue individual and normative acts, and to propose individual and normative decrees

Full ministers however retain:

  • the identification of ministerial policy in the cabinet
  • the representation in bodies of the European Union
  • the appointment of administrative agencies, public services and personnel

Deputy ministers are assigned with responsibilities and powers by the prime minister and the full minister they report to.

Ministry[5] Office[3] Incumbent Party In office since
1.
Ministry of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction
Minister of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction Panagiotis Kouroumblis Syriza 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction Yannis Balafasa Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Administrative Reform Christoforos Vernardakis Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Citizen Protection Nikos Toskas Syriza 23 September 2015 – 3 August 2018
Alternate Minister of Immigration Policy Ioannis Mouzalas Independent 28 August 2015
Deputy Minister for Macedonia and Thrace Maria Kollia-Tsarouchaa ANEL 23 September 2015 – 29 August 2018
2.
Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism
Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism Giorgos Stathakis Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Tourism Elena Kountoura Independent 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of National Strategic Reference Framework Issues Alexis Charitsisa Syriza 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of Industry Theodora Tzagria Syriza 23 September 2015
3.
Ministry of National Defence
Minister of National Defence Evangelos Apostolakis Military 13 January 2019
Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas Syriza 23 September 2015
4.
Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs
Minister of Education, Research and Religious Affairs Nikos Filis Syriza 23 September 2015 - 5 November 2016
Alternate Minister of Education, Research and Religious Affairs Sia Anagnostopoulou Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Research and Innovation Kostas Fotakis Independent 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of Education, Research and Religious Affairs Theodosis Pelegrinis Syriza 23 September 2015
5.
Ministry of Environment and Energy
Minister of Environment and Energy Panos Skourletis Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Environment and Energy Giannis Tsironis OP 23 September 2015
6.
Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights
Minister of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights Nikos Paraskevopoulos Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Corruption Issues Dimitris Papangelopoulos Independent 23 September 2015
7.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias Syriza 23 September 2015 – 17 October 2018
Alternate Minister of European Affairs Nikos Xydakis Syriza 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Amanatidisa Syriza 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Mardasa Syriza 23 September 2015
8.
Ministry of Finance
Minister of Finance Euclid Tsakalotos Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Finance Tryfon Alexiadis Syriza 18 July 2015
Alternate Minister of Finance Giorgos Houliarakis Independent 23 September 2015
9.
Ministry of Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity
Minister of Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity Georgios Katrougalos Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Social Solidarity Theano Fotiou Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister for Combatting Unemployment Rania Antonopoulou Syriza 23 September 2015 – 26 Febr 2018[6]
Deputy Minister of Social Insurance Issues Anastasios Petropoulosa Syriza 23 September 2015
10.
Ministry of Health
Minister of Health Andreas Xanthos Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Health Pavlos Polakis Syriza 23 September 2015
11.
Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks
Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Christos Spirtzis Independent 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Dimitris Kammenosa ANEL 23 September 2015 – 23 September 2015
Panagiotis Sgouridisa ANEL 24 September 2015 – 23 February 2016
Marina Chrissovelonia ANEL 24 February 2016
12.
Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy
Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Thodoris Dritsas Syriza 23 September 2015
13.
Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food
Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Evangelos Apostolou Syriza 23 September 2015
Alternate Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Markos Bolaris Syriza 23 September 2015
14.
Ministry of Culture and Sports
Minister of Culture and Sports Aristides Baltas Syriza 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister of Sports Stavros Kontonis Syriza 23 September 2015 - 29 August 2018

Ministers of State

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Rank[7] Office[3] Incumbent Party In office since
1. Minister of State Nikos Pappas Syriza 23 September 2015
2. Minister of State for Coordinating Government Operations Alekos Flambouraris Syriza 23 September 2015
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Terence Quicka ANEL 23 September 2015 – 4 November 2016
Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson Dr Olga Gerovassili Syriza 23 September 2015

Bold denotes full ministers attending the weekly cabinet council.
a Deputy ministers are not members of the cabinet but may attend cabinet meetings.
References:[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Greek gov't survives vote of no confidence but loses an MP | Kathimerini". Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  2. ^ Smith, Helena (21 September 2015). "Tsipras meeting with Independent Greeks leader now". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Η σύνθεση της Κυβέρνησης [Composition of the Government] (in Greek). Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  4. ^ Ανάθεση αρμοδιοτήτων στην Αναπληρώτρια Υπουργό Εργασίας και Κοινωνικής Αλληλεγγύης Ουρανίας Αντωνοπούλου [Delegation of authority to the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity Ourania Antonopoulou] (PDF) (in Greek). Prime Minister of Greece. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  5. ^ Καθορισμός σειράς τάξης των Υπουργείων [Sequencing order of Ministries] (PDF) (in Greek). Prime Minister of Greece. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  6. ^ washingtonpost.com: Greece: Wealthy minister quits after rent subsidy furor
  7. ^ Καθορισμός σειράς προβαδίσματος των Υπουργών Επικρατείας [Precedence order of State Ministers] (PDF) (in Greek). Prime Minister of Greece. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  8. ^ "New Syriza/Independent Greeks coalition government inaugurated". To Vima. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.