Antonis Samaras

Antonis Samaras, also spelt, Adonis Samaras (born May 23, 1951 in Athens) is a Greek politician and Member of the European Parliament for New Democracy; part of the European People's Party.

He was Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs in the New Democracy government of Konstantinos Mitsotakis (1989-1992). A hardliner on the "Macedonian Question" and on other issues, he was removed from his post in 1992. Samaras hastened the government's fall by leaving New Democracy and founding his own party, Political Spring.

Political Spring gained 4.9 per cent in the 1993 general election, earning ten seats in the Greek Parliament. It gained 8.7 per cent in the elections in the 1994 European Parliament elections, earning two seats. Its decline started in the 1996 general election, when it gained 2.94 per cent, just below the 3 per cent threshold necessary to enter parliament.

It participated in the 1999 European Parliament elections, but it got 2.3 percent which was again below the threshold.

Political Spring did not participate in the 2002 general election, but Antonis Samaras publicly supported the New Democracy party. Before the 2004 general election, Samaras rejoined New Democracy and he was elected as a MEP in the 2004 European elections.

Preceded by: Georgios Papoulias	Minister for Foreign Affairs 1989–1990	Succeeded by: Georgios Papoulias
Preceded by: Georgios Papoulias	Minister for Foreign Affairs 1990–1992	Succeeded by: Konstantinos Mitsotakis