2023-04-28 08:45:09
“Positive hopes for smooth developments in national life” is the optimistic headline on the front page of “Kathimerini” on April 15, 1967. The day before, Parliament had been dissolved and elections had been announced for May 28. This move came in a period of deep institutional crisis, which had started since July 1965. The successive government changes and the inability of the parties to find a stable governing solution did not end with the agreement between King Constantine II, George Papandreou and of Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, in December 1966, for the formation of a caretaker government under I. Paraskevopoulos and the holding of elections. And this because the Paraskevopoulos government was about to be overthrown.
P. Kanellopoulos refused to accept the amendment (part of the draft law for the establishment of simple proportionality) of the Center Union on the extension of parliamentary immunity during the pre-election period, which “photographed” the son of its leader, Andreas, who was accused of involved in the ASPIDA case.
Thus, the cooperation of the two major parties collapsed. On March 30, 1967, ERE withdrew its confidence from the Paraskevopoulos government, causing its downfall. On April 3, an order to form a government was given to P. Kanellopoulos, who believed that his appointment as prime minister would act as a deterrent to the possibility of constitutional deviation.
The reluctance of the other parties to support the Kanellopoulos government led to the announcement of elections. “In order to dispel concerns and dispel doubts, regarding smooth development, the intention of the Government is not enough. The corresponding care of all is required, as well as the preservation of integrity and the prestige of the State and the great good of Freedom”, warned the “Daily”. One week later, on April 21, the coup of the colonels took place and democracy was overthrown.
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