Editing Antonis Samaras

{{short description|Prime Minister of Greece (2012–2015)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
<!-- DO NOT ADD HONORIFICS OR NUMBERS OF SUCCESSION; THEY ARE NOT USED IN GREECE -->| name                = Antonis Samaras
| native_name         = {{nobold|{{lang|el|Αντώνης  Σαμαράς}}}}
| image               = Antonis Samaras October 2014.jpg
| caption             = Samaras in 2014
| order               = [[Prime Minister of Greece]]
| president           = [[Karolos Papoulias]]
| deputy              = [[Evangelos Venizelos]]{{efn|Venizelos was [[Deputy Prime Minister of Greece|Deputy Prime Minister]] from 2013 to 2015.}}
| term_start          = 20 June 2012
| term_end            = 26 January 2015
| predecessor         = [[Panagiotis Pikrammenos]] (caretaker)
| successor           = [[Alexis Tsipras]]
| office1             = [[Leader of the Opposition (Greece)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| primeminister1      = [[Alexis Tsipras]]
| term_start1         = 26 January 2015
| term_end1           = 5 July 2015
| predecessor1        = Alexis Tsipras
| successor1          = [[Vangelis Meimarakis]]
| primeminister2      = [[George Papandreou]]<br />[[Lucas Papademos]]<br />[[Panagiotis Pikrammenos]]
| term_start2         = 30 November 2009
| term_end2           = 20 June 2012
| predecessor2        = [[Kostas Karamanlis]]
| successor2          = [[Alexis Tsipras]]

{{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Other political offices 
 |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes

| office3             = President of [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]]
| deputy3             = [[Stavros Dimas]]<br />[[Dimitris Avramopoulos]]
| term_start3         = 30 November 2009
| term_end3           = 5 July 2015
| predecessor3        = [[Kostas Karamanlis]]
| successor3          = [[Vangelis Meimarakis]]
| office4             = [[Ministry of Culture and Sports (Greece)|Minister of Culture]]
| primeminister4      = [[Kostas Karamanlis]]
| term_start4         = 8 January 2009
| term_end4           = 6 October 2009
| predecessor4        = [[Michalis Liapis]]
| successor4          = [[Pavlos Geroulanos]] (Culture and Tourism)
| office5             = [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Greece)|Minister for Foreign Affairs]]
| primeminister5      = [[Konstantinos Mitsotakis]]
| term_start5         = 11 April 1990
| term_end5           = 13 April 1992
| predecessor5        = [[Georgios Papoulias]]
| successor5          = Konstantinos Mitsotakis
| primeminister6      = [[Xenophon Zolotas]]
| term_start6         = 23 November 1989
| term_end6           = 16 February 1990
| predecessor6        = [[Georgios Papoulias]]
| successor6          = Georgios Papoulias
| office7             = [[Ministry of Finance (Greece)|Minister of Finance]]
| primeminister7      = [[Tzannis Tzannetakis]]
| term_start7         = 2 July 1989
| term_end7           = 12 October 1989
| predecessor7        = [[Dimitris Tsovolas]]
| successor7          = Georgios Agapitos
| office8             = Member of the [[Hellenic Parliament]]
| term_start8         = 16 September 2007
| term_end8           = 
| constituency8       = [[Messenia (constituency)|Messenia]]
| term_start9         = 20 November 1977
| term_end9           = 24 August 1996
| constituency9       = [[Messenia (constituency)|Messenia]]
| office10            = [[Member of the European Parliament]]
| term_start10        = 20 July 2004
| term_end10          = 25 September 2007
| constituency10      = [[Greece (European Parliament constituency)|Greece]]

{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}

| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1951|5|23|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Athens]], [[Greece]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]] {{small|(1977–1992, 2004–2024)}}<br />[[Political Spring]] {{small|(1993–2004)}}<br />[[Independent politician|Independent]] {{small|(2024-present)}}
| spouse              = {{marriage|Georgia Kretikos|1990}}
| relatives           = [[Emmanouil Benakis]] (great-great-grandfather)<br />[[Penelope Delta]] (great-grandmother)
| children            = 2
| education           = [[Amherst College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br />[[Harvard University]] ([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]])
| parents             = 
}}
{{Antonis Samaras sidebar}}
'''Antonis Samaras''' ({{langx|el|Αντώνης Σαμαράς}}, {{IPA|el|anˈdonis samaˈɾas|pron}}; born 23 May 1951) is a Greek politician who served as [[Prime Minister of Greece]] from 2012 to 2015. A member of the [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]] party, he was its president from 2009 until 2015. Samaras started his national political career as [[Ministry of Finance (Greece)|Minister of Finance]] in 1989; he served as [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Greece)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] from 1989 to 1992 (with a brief interruption in 1990) and [[Ministry of Culture and Sports (Greece)|Minister of Culture]] in 2009.

Samaras was previously best known for a 1993 controversy in which he effectively caused the New Democracy government, of which he was a member, to fall from power {{attribution needed|date=November 2024}}.  In spite of this, he rejoined the party in 2004 and was elected to its leadership in a closely fought intra-party election in late 2009.<ref>{{cite news|title=ND heads for tense election showdown |publisher=[[Kathimerini]] |url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100006_28/11/2009_112865 |date=30 November 2009 |access-date=30 November 2009 |archive-date=2 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202080529/http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100006_28/11/2009_112865 |url-status=live}}</ref> He was the seventh party leader since it was founded in 1974.

In the years that followed, he remained a member of parliament representing the region of [[Messenia]], until November 2024 when he was again expelled from the party's parliamentary group and from New Democracy, due to his criticism of the foreign policy of the [[Second Cabinet of Kyriakos Mitsotakis|government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis]].<ref>[https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/former-pm-ousted-from-greek-ruling-party-202710 Former PM ousted from Greek ruling party]</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Born in [[Athens]], Samaras is the son of Doctor Konstantinos Samaras (a Professor of [[Cardiology]]) and Lena (née Zannas, a maternal granddaughter of author [[Penelope Delta]]). His brother, Alexander, is an architect. His paternal uncle, George Samaras, was a long-standing Member of Parliament for [[Messinia]] in the 1950s and 1960s.

Samaras grew up among the Athens well-connected families, playing tennis. At the age of 17, he won the Greek Teen Tennis Championship.<ref>{{cite news| title=Profile: Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras|author=Patrick Jackson|work=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18410765|date=20 June 2012}}</ref> He attended school in the [[Athens College]] (founded by his maternal great-grandfather, Stefanos Delta and [[Emmanouil Benakis]], Delta's father-in-law) and graduated from [[Amherst College]] in 1974 with a degree in [[economics]], and then from [[Harvard University]] in 1976 with an [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.alumni.hbs.edu/stories/Pages/story-bulletin.aspx?num=1016|title=Greek Drama|date=1 December 2011|publisher=Harvard Business School|access-date=12 April 2022}}</ref>

Samaras and former Prime Minister [[George Papandreou (junior)|George Papandreou]] were dormitory roommates during their student years at [[Amherst College]], but became bitter political rivals.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_columns_1_04/12/2009_113043|title=As good as it gets|date=4 December 2009|publisher=ekathimerini|access-date=8 December 2009}}</ref> He is married and has a daughter and a son.

== Political career ==
{{Conservatism in Greece sidebar|Politicians}}

=== Early political involvement ===
Samaras has been elected as a Member of Parliament, initially for [[Messinia]], from 1977 onward. In 1989 he became [[Ministry of Finance (Greece)|Minister of Finance]], later advancing to become the [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Greece)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] in the New Democracy government of Prime Minister [[Konstantinos Mitsotakis]] (1990–1993), from which post he caused the [[Macedonia naming dispute]] to ignite. In a meeting of the Greek political leaders under the President of the Republic on the naming dispute on 13 April 1992, Samaras presented his own conditions for the solution of the crisis. These were rejected by both the President of the Republic, [[Konstantinos Karamanlis]] as well as the Prime Minister, [[Konstantinos Mitsotakis]]. Samaras was subsequently removed from Minister of Foreign Affairs.<ref>Eleutherotypia, 9 April 2005, [http://archive.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=110,dt=09.04.2005,id=29616224 "The 1992 Meeting and the Samaras dismissal"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109021328/http://archive.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=110,dt=09.04.2005,id=29616224 |date=9 November 2009}} (in Greek)</ref>

=== Foundation of Political Spring ===
After being removed from his post, Samaras founded his own party, [[Political Spring]] (Greek: Πολιτική Άνοιξη, romanised as ''Politiki Anoixi''), located politically to the right of New Democracy. The defection of one Member of Parliament from New Democracy to Samaras' party caused the government's fall from power in 1993.

Political Spring gained 4.9% of the vote in the [[1993 Greek legislative election|1993 general election]], earning ten seats in the [[Hellenic Parliament]]. It gained 8.7% in the [[1994 European Parliament election in Greece|1994 European Parliament election]], earning two seats. Its decline began in the [[1996 Greek legislative election|1996 general election]], when it gained 2.94 per cent, just below the 3 per cent threshold necessary to enter parliament. It participated in the [[1999 European Parliament election in Greece|1999 European Parliament election]], but only got 2.3%, which was not enough to elect MEPs.

=== Return to New Democracy ===
Political Spring did not participate in the [[2000 Greek legislative election|2000 general election]]; Samaras publicly supported the New Democracy party. Before the [[2004 Greek legislative election|2004 general election]], Samaras dissolved his party, rejoined New Democracy and he was elected a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) in the [[2004 European Parliament election in Greece|2004 European elections]].

In the [[2007 Greek legislative election|2007 general election]] he was elected to the Hellenic Parliament for [[Messinia]] and consequently resigned from the [[European Parliament]]. He was succeeded by [[Margaritis Schinas]]. In January 2009 he was appointed [[Minister for Culture (Greece)|Minister of Culture]] following a government reshuffle. In this capacity he inaugurated the new [[Acropolis Museum]] in July 2009. He was reelected in Messenia in 2009.

After New Democracy resoundingly lost the [[2009 Greek legislative election|2009 legislative election]], [[Kostas Karamanlis]] resigned as head of the party, prompting a [[2009 New Democracy leadership election|leadership race]], and Samaras ran for the post. Early polls showed he was running neck-and-neck with the perceived initial favorite [[Dora Bakoyanni]], the former Foreign Minister and former Athens mayor.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/37442/bakoyannis_holds_slim_lead_in_greeceaas_nd_race/ |title=Bakoyannis Holds Slim Lead in Greece's ND Race |publisher=Angus Reid |date=1 November 2009 |access-date=6 November 2009 |archive-date=17 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617100737/http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/37442/bakoyannis_holds_slim_lead_in_greeceaas_nd_race/ |url-status=usurped}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, another leadership candidate, former Minister [[Dimitris Avramopoulos]], announced he was resigning his candidacy and would instead support Samaras. In a break with previous practice, an extraordinary party congress resolved that the new leader would be elected by party members in a countrywide ballot. Samaras' candidacy soared in opinion polls and finished the race as a favorite.

=== Leader of the Opposition ===
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Summit June 2010 (18).jpg|thumb|left|Samaras at a summit of the [[European People's Party]] in 2010]]
In the early morning hours of 30 November 2009, Samaras was elected the new President of New Democracy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ametroepeia.pblogs.gr/files/f/474040-AntonVonSchamarAss.JPG|title=Antonis Samaras is the new ND leader|publisher=Mike Kamateros}}{{dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Following early results showing Samaras in a comfortable lead, Bakoyanni, his main rival, conceded defeat and called Samaras to congratulate him. He accepted his election with a speech at the party headquarters, and pledged to carry out a broad ideological and organizational reform, aspiring to regain majority status. He was later instrumental in the expulsion of Bakoyanni (2010) for defying the party line and voting for an austerity measure required for European Union-[[International Monetary Fund]] backed lending.

Prime Minister [[George Papandreou]] announced his government's plans on 31 October to hold a referendum on the acceptance of the terms of a [[Eurozone]] bailout deal. The referendum was to be held in December 2011 or January 2012. Following vehement opposition from both within and outside the country, Papandreou however scrapped the plan a few days later on 3 November.

On 5 November, Papandreou's government only narrowly won a confidence vote in the Greek Parliament, and he called for immediate elections. The next day, Papandreou met with opposition leaders trying to reach an agreement on the formation of an interim national unity government. However, Samaras only gave in after Papandreou agreed to step aside, allowing the EU bailout to proceed and paving the way for elections on 19 February 2012.

After several days of intense negotiations, the two major parties along with the Popular Orthodox Rally agreed to form a grand coalition headed by former Vice President of the European Central Bank [[Lucas Papademos]]. On 10 November, George Papandreou formally resigned as Prime Minister of Greece. The new coalition cabinet and Prime Minister Lucas Papademos were formally sworn in on 11 November 2011.

=== Prime Minister of Greece ===
{{See also|Seventh austerity package (Greece)|Eighth austerity package (Greece)|Ninth austerity package (Greece)}}
[[File:Flickr - Πρωθυπουργός της Ελλάδας - Αντώνης Σαμαράς - Angela Merkel - Επίσκεψη στην Αθήνα (5).jpg|thumb|left|Samaras with [[Angela Merkel]] in Athens]] 
[[File:Αντώνης Σαμαράς - Συνάντηση με τον Πρόεδρο της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής, José Manuel Barroso 7732423352.jpg|thumb|left|Samaras with [[José Manuel Barroso]] in Athens]]
[[File:Flickr - Πρωθυπουργός της Ελλάδας - Francois Hollande - Αντώνης Σαμαράς (6).jpg|thumb|left|Samaras with [[François Hollande]] in Paris]]
Following the [[May 2012 Greek legislative election|May 2012 general election]] in which the [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]] party became the largest party in the Hellenic Parliament, Samaras was asked by [[President of Greece|Greek President]] [[Karolos Papoulias]] to try to form a government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20120507/news_20120507_56_838693.htm|title=Samaras tries to form Greek coalition|publisher=Rthk.hk|access-date=14 May 2012|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810231637/http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20120507/news_20120507_56_838693.htm|archive-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> However, after a day of negotiations with the other parties, Samaras officially announced he was giving up the mandate to form a government. The task passed to [[Alexis Tsipras]], Leader of [[Syriza]], the second largest party, who was also unable to form a government.<ref>{{cite news|last=Petrakis |first=Maria|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-07/samaras-says-fails-to-form-greek-government-hands-back-mandate.html|title=Greek Government Mandate to Pass to Syriza as Samaras Fails|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=14 May 2012}}</ref> After the [[PASOK|Panhellenic Socialist Movement]] (PASOK) also failed to negotiate a successful agreement to form a government, emergency talks with the President of Greece ended with a new election being called while the outgoing Chairman of the [[Council of State (Greece)|Council of State]] [[Panagiotis Pikrammenos]] was appointed as Prime Minister of Greece in a [[Caretaker Cabinet of Panagiotis Pikrammenos|caretaker government]] composed of independent technocrats.

Voters once again took to the polls in the widely watched [[June 2012 Greek legislative election|June 2012 election]]. The New Democracy party came out on top in a stronger position with 129 seats, compared to 108 in the May election.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}} On 20 June 2012, Samaras successfully formed a coalition with the PASOK (now led by former Finance Minister [[Evangelos Venizelos]]) and the [[Democratic Left (Greece)|Democratic Left]] (DIMAR).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18524252|title=Antonis Samaras|access-date=20 June 2012|work=BBC News|date=20 June 2012}}</ref> The new government had a majority of 28 (which was later reduced to 18),<ref>{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-greece-defection-idUKBRE8A70E020121108|publisher=Reuters|title=Greek deputy quits ruling coalition party|date=8 November 2012}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> with [[Syriza]], the [[Independent Greeks]] (ANEL), [[Golden Dawn (Greece)|Golden Dawn]] (XA) and the [[Communist Party of Greece|Communist Party]] (KKE) comprising the opposition. The PASOK and DIMAR chose to take a limited role in [[Cabinet of Antonis Samaras|Samaras's Cabinet]], being represented by party officials and independent technocrats instead of MPs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18531604|title=PM Antonis Samaras announces cabinet|date=21 June 2012|access-date=22 June 2012|work=BBC News}}</ref>

The Democratic Left left the coalition on 21 June 2013 in protest at the closure of the nation's public broadcaster [[Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation]] (ERT), leaving Samaras with a slim majority of 153 ND and PASOK MPs combined.<ref>{{cite news|title=Greece coalition partner pulls out ministers in wake of ERT debacle [update]|url=http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_21/06/2013_505319|access-date=24 June 2013|newspaper=[[Kathimerini]]|date=24 June 2013|location=Piraeus}}</ref> The two remaining parties proceeded to negotiate a cabinet reshuffle that resulted in a significantly expanded role for PASOK in the new [[coalition government]].<ref>{{cite web|script-title=el:Η σύνθεση της νέας κυβέρνησης|url=http://ekprosopos.gov.gr/?p=4429|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702104616/http://ekprosopos.gov.gr/?p=4429|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 July 2013|publisher=ΓΕΝΙΚΗ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΙΑ ΕΝΗΜΕΡΩΣΗΣ & ΕΠΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΣ - ΓΕΝΙΚΗ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΙΑ ΜΕΣΩΝ ΕΝΗΜΕΡΩΣΗΣ|access-date=24 June 2013|location=Athens|language=el|date=24 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= New government is ushered in|url=http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_24/06/2013_505617|access-date=24 June 2013|newspaper=Kathimerini|date=24 June 2013|location=Piraeus}}</ref> A further reshuffle followed the [[2014 European Parliament election in Greece|2014 European Parliament election]].<ref>{{cite news|script-title=el:Σαρωτικός ανασχηματισμός: Η σύνθεση της νέας κυβέρνησης - τα βιογραφικά|url=http://www.kathimerini.gr/770923/article/epikairothta/politikh/sarwtikos-o-anasxhmatismos---h-syn8esh-ths-neas-kyvernhshs-samara|access-date=9 June 2014|work=Kathimerini|date=9 June 2014|language=el}}</ref>

Samaras implemented a series of reforms and [[austerity]] measures with the aim of reducing government budget deficits and making the Greek economy competitive. In 2013 he passed reform bills approving the layoff of 15,000 public employees, among them high school teachers, school guards and municipal policemen. At the same time, he cut value-added tax (VAT) in restaurants to 13 percent from 23 percent.<ref>{{cite news|title=Greece approves scheme to fire thousands of public workers|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-vote-idUSBRE96G1AP20130718|publisher=Reuters|access-date=25 July 2015|date=17 July 2013}}</ref> He also passed a bill instituting the Single Property Tax and the auction of houses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Auctions: The bill has passed|url=http://www.protothema.gr/news-in-english/article/338955/auctions-the-bill-has-passed/|publisher=Proto Thema|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref> The [[Ministry of Administrative Reform and e-Governance|Minister of Administrative Reform and e-Governance]] [[Kyriakos Mitsotakis]] implemented an evaluation process on the public sector to locate surplus staff members.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evaluation and dismissal process expanded to wider public sector| date=5 November 2013 |url=http://www.tovima.gr/en/article/?aid=537988|publisher=tovima|access-date=5 November 2013}}</ref>

Greece achieved a primary government budget surplus in 2013. In April 2014, Greece returned to the global bond market as it successfully sold €3 billion worth of five-year government bonds at a yield of 4.95%.<ref>{{cite news|title=Greek €3bn bond sale snapped up|newspaper=Financial Times|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/49af3560-c085-11e3-a74d-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3zOXZlHho|publisher=ft.com|access-date=10 April 2014|date=10 April 2014|last1=Wigglesworth|first1=Robin|last2=Moore|first2=Elaine|last3=Hope|first3=Kerin}}</ref> Greece's credit rating was upgraded by Fitch from B− to B.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fitch Upgrades Greece to 'B'; Outlook Stable|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/fitch-upgrades-greece-to-b-outlook-stabl-idUSFit70198920140523|work=Reuters|date=23 May 2014|access-date=23 May 2014}}</ref> Greece returned to growth after six years of economic decline in the second quarter of 2014,<ref>{{cite web|title=Greece exited recession in second quarter, says EU Commission|url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/164391/article/ekathimerini/business/greece-exited-recession-in-second-quarter-says-eu-commission|publisher=Kathimerini|access-date=4 November 2014|date=4 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=GDP up by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU28|url=http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/6730965/2-06032015-AP-EN.pdf/27a0c028-e297-4350-b41d-2b5af66cdaf5|publisher=Eurostat|access-date=9 March 2015|location=Luxembourg|date=6 March 2015}}</ref> and was the eurozone's fastest-growing economy in the third quarter. Tourism also grew. It is estimated that throughout 2013 Greece welcomed over 17.93 million tourists, an increase of 10% compared to 2012. More than 22 million tourists visited Greece in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tourists arrivals up to 23 million in 2014|url=http://www.thetoc.gr/eng/food--travel/article/tourists-arrivals-up-to-23-million-in-2014|publisher=thetoc|access-date=10 November 2014|date=10 November 2014}}</ref> On healthcare, [[Ministry of Health (Greece)|Minister for Health]] [[Adonis Georgiadis]] gave complete free pharmaceutical coverage to more than 2.000.000 uninsured citizens,<ref>[https://www.hora.com.gr/%ce%ac%ce%b4%cf%89%ce%bd%ce%b9%cf%82-%ce%b1%cf%80%cf%8c-%cf%84%ce%bf%ce%bd-%ce%ba%cf%81%ce%b1%cf%84%ce%b9%ce%ba%cf%8c-%cf%80%cf%81%ce%bf%cf%8b%cf%80%ce%bf%ce%bb%ce%bf%ce%b3%ce%b9%cf%83%ce%bc%cf%8c/ Adonis: from the state the pharmaceutical coverage of uninsured (Άδωνις: Από τον κρατικό προϋπολογισμό η χρηματοδότηση της φαρμακευτικής κάλυψης των ανασφαλίστων)]{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}, 23 April 2014</ref><ref>[http://newpost.gr/ellada/365914/prosbash-se-dwrean-farmaka-gia-oloys-toys-anasfalistoys-polites Access to free medicine for all uninsured citizens (Πρόσβαση σε δωρεάν φάρμακα για όλους τους ανασφάλιστους πολίτες)], newpost, 30 June 2014</ref> with the cost being set at 340 million euros.

On 9 December 2014, Samaras announced the candidacy of New Democracy politician [[Stavros Dimas]] for the position of [[President of Greece]]. Dimas failed to secure the required majority of MPs of the [[Hellenic Parliament]] in the first three rounds of voting. According to the provisions of the [[Constitution of Greece]], [[January 2015 Greek legislative election|snap elections]] were held on 25 January 2015, which were won by Syriza. Tsipras succeeded Samaras, who resigned as Leader of New Democracy on 5 July 2015, following the overwhelming victory of the "No" vote in the [[2015 Greek bailout referendum|bailout referendum]], naming [[Vangelis Meimarakis]] as transitional leader.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=1500010257 |script-title=el:Παραιτήθηκε ο Αντώνης Σαμαράς από την ηγεσία της Νέας Δημοκρατίας |date=5 July 2015 |access-date=5 July 2015 |publisher=in.gr |language=el}}</ref> Samaras had been backing a "Yes" vote, together with his party, before the referendum.

=== Post-premiership ===
In 2023, Samaras made controversial statements against the [[LGBTQI+]] community, suggesting that LGBTQI+ rights have no place in Europe. He also disputed [[gender identity]], arguing that only [[biological gender]] is real, and made xenophobic remarks against migrants, claiming that "they are tearing [[European values|Europe]] apart". These remarks drew public backlash, with the Minister of State, Akis Skertsos, failing to condemn them, stating that as a former Prime Minister, he has every right to express himself however he sees fit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://avmag.gr/omofoviko-kai-ratsistiko-paralirima-apo-ton-antoni-samara/|title=Ομοφοβικό και ρατσιστικό παραλήρημα από τον Αντώνη Σαμαρά|trans-title=Homophobic and racist delusion from Antonis Samaras|work=Antivirus Magazine|date=10 May 2023|access-date=19 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thepressproject.gr/omofovikes-diloseis-samara-gia-tous-dikaiomatistes-to-fylo-ton-anthropon-den-einai-viologiko-alla-koinoniko-etsi-ftanoume-se-akrotites/|title=Ομοφοβικές δηλώσεις Σαμαρά: "Για τους δικαιωματιστές το φύλο των ανθρώπων δεν είναι βιολογικό αλλά κοινωνικό, έτσι φτάνουμε σε ακρότητες"|trans-title=Samaras's homophobic statements: "For the human right activists, people's gender is not biological but social, so we reach extremes"|work=The Press Project|date=18 May 2023|access-date=19 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.in.gr/2023/05/10/politics/kommata/pyra-gia-omofovia-kai-ratsismo-dexetai-o-antonis-samaras/|title=Πυρά για ομοφοβία και ρατσισμό κατά του Σαμαρά – "Μετανάστες και ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ διαλύουν την Ευρώπη"|trans-title=Backlash against Samaras for his homophobic and racist remarks – “Immigrants and LGBTI+ are tearing Europe apart”|work=In.gr|date=10 May 2023|access-date=19 May 2023}}</ref>

On 16 November 2024, Samaras was expelled from New Democracy after he criticised foreign minister [[Giorgos Gerapetritis]] and his handling of negotiations with Turkey as well as the handling of previous issues by the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis in an interview with the newspaper ''[[To Vima]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/greece-samaras-mitsotakis-new-democracy-a134c64c80a7aa8f5e0c0e9b13c0e35f |title=Former Greek premier Samaras is expelled from the ruling conservative party |work=Associated Press |date=17 November 2024|access-date=17 November 2024}}</ref> In response Samaras 
accused Mitsotakis of "arrogance and loss of nerve" in removing him. Also stated that "no one can force me to sacrifice my conscience", accused the prime minister of being cut off from the ND base and stressed that "the judge of all of us will be the people and history".<ref>[https://www.lifo.gr/now/politics/samaras-meta-ti-diagrafi-toy-apokommenos-o-mitsotakis-apo-ti-basi-den-thysiazo-ti Samaras after his deletion: "Mitsotakis cut off from the base, I will not sacrifice my conscience"](el)</ref>

== See also ==
*[[List of international prime ministerial trips made by Antonis Samaras]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Antonis Samaras}}
* {{Hellenic Parliament|f672b7d6-bee5-4cdd-9b79-a94ee171f53b}}
* {{MEP}}

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{{Prime Ministers of Greece}}
{{Leaders of the Opposition of Greece}}
{{Foreign Ministers of Greece}}
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{{Leaders of New Democracy}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samaras, Antonis}}
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