Greece's first Constitution was adopted by the First National Assembly of Epidaurus on this day in 1822

Προσωρινό Πολίτευμα

The first Greek Constitution was adopted by the First National Assembly of Epidaurus on January 1, 1822.

Formally it was known as the Provisional Regime of Greece (Προσωρινό Πολίτευμα της Ελλάδος).

20210101 183637

The Constitution was mainly the work of 27 year old Italian Vincenzo Gallina together with 19 year old Anastasios Polyzoidis.

20210101 183640It was then revised by Phanariote politicians Theodoros Negris and Alexandros Mavrokordatos (both 30).

It was then translated into English by Edward Everett and in French by Adamantios Korais.

The provisional government/executive of the National Assembly of 1822 gradually replaced previous regional governments:

  • Peloponnesian Senate (est. 26 May 1821)
  • Senate of Western Continental Greece (est. 9 Nov 1821)
  • Areopagus of Eastern Continental Greece (est. 20 Nov 1821)
20210101 183643

This constituted a major moment in the modern political history of the country, to the degree that it instituted to the consciousness of Greek society the principle of constitutionalism as the fundamental and necessary prerequisite of political stability.

constitution

Copyright Greekcitytimes 2024