Former Greek Minister Stefanos Manos Dies at 87

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Former Greek minister Stefanos Manos, a prominent figure in Greek politics and public life for more than three decades, has died at the age of 87. He had faced health problems in recent years.

Born in Athens in December 1939, Manos was the son of surgeon Alexandros Manos, a former director of Evangelismos Hospital, and Marietta Panoutsou. He studied mechanical engineering with a specialization in aerodynamics at the Technical University of Zurich and later earned an MBA from Harvard University.

Before entering politics, he held senior management positions at Allatini S.A. and served as president of the Association of Greek Industrialists and the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 1977 he left business to run for parliament.

Manos was first elected as a New Democracy MP for the Second Athens constituency in 1977 and served as Deputy Minister of Public Works. In the government of Konstantinos Mitsotakis he held the posts of Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works, Minister of National Economy, and Minister of Finance.

His name became closely associated with major changes in Athens and Greece’s infrastructure. He advanced the regeneration of Plaka, the creation of the first pedestrian streets, bus lanes, and stricter environmental protections for traditional settlements and polluting industries. He also played a key role in advancing the Athens Metro, the relocation of the airport from Elliniko to Spata (Eleftherios Venizelos Airport), the Attica Tollway (Attiki Odos), and the Rio-Antirrio Bridge. He supported the introduction of mobile telephony and the liberalization of markets previously dominated by state monopolies such as PPC and OTE.

In 1998, differences with then New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis led to his expulsion from the party. In 1999 he founded the Liberal Party (with a bull as its emblem), which received 1.62% in that year’s European elections. The Liberals cooperated with New Democracy in the 2000 national elections, allowing Manos to return to parliament; he suspended the party’s operations two years later. In 2004 his decision to run as an independent collaborator on the PASOK state ballot sparked controversy.

In 2009, together with Vasilis Kontogiannopoulos and Yannis Boutaris, he founded the liberal party Drassi and became its leader. In the June 2012 elections, Drassi’s alliance with Dimiourgia Xana! received 1.59% and failed to enter parliament. Manos resigned as party leader shortly afterward but said he would remain politically active.

Manos was married and the father of five children. He was awarded the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour by the French Republic.

Close associate and former Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment Aristotelis Aivaliotis paid tribute to him, describing Manos as a “Renaissance man” of great knowledge, practical intelligence, and humour who improved the lives of many through his work and who represented hope for a more rational approach to Greek politics. “He is gone. We will miss him. But we will not forget him,” Aivaliotis wrote.

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