Center Union

The Center Union (EK, Greek: "Ένωση Κέντρου", "Enosi Kentrou") was a Greek political party, created in 1961 by George Papandreou, senior.

The party was elected to power in 1963, with Papandreou as Prime Minister. In 1965, King Constantine forced Papandreou from the office following the "Apostasia of 1965" plan, designed by him and executed by Center Union's politician Konstantinos Mitsotakis. He then formed a new government using the apostates, ex-members of EK, and installed Georgios Athanasiadis-Novas as prime minister. Athanasiadis attempted to gain a vote of confidence in parliament, but the EK party was split in two, and a political crisis ensued that led to the period of the Greek military junta of 1967-1974.

The Center Union Party was the last Venizelist party to hold power in Greece. The party nominally continued to exist until 1977 (after the Junta it was known as the Center Union - New Forces), when its successor Union of the Democratic Center (EDIK) party was created. Konstantinos Mitsotakis, who had defected the EK in 1965, formed a rival Venizelist party, known as the "Party of New Liberals", which merged with New Democracy in 1978.

ee also

*Greek military junta of 1967-1974
*Apostasia of 1965