Tsaldaris, Panayoti

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Panayoti Tsaldaris (pänäyō´tē tsälŧħä´rēs), 1868–1936, Greek politician. A leader of the Populist (royalist) party, he succeeded Eleutherios Venizelos as premier in Nov., 1932, and again, after a brief return to power by Venizelos, in Mar., 1933. In 1935 the Venizelists rose against the royalist policy of Tsaldaris, but they were crushed by General Kondylis. Tsaldaris's government won in the 1935 elections, from which the republicans abstained; however, he was ousted by Kondylis in Oct., 1935. A relative of Tsaldaris, Constantine Tsaldaris, 1884–1970, leader of the Populist party, became (1946) the first elected postwar premier of Greece. He faded from prominence after 1951, when new elections dealt a severe blow to his party.