Stefanos Manos, one of Greece's most outspoken liberal politicians and a former Finance Minister, died Saturday at the a...

Stefanos Manos, one of Greece's most outspoken liberal politicians and a former Finance Minister, died Saturday at the age of 87. Born in Athens on December 20, 1939, Manos studied mechanical engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich before earning an MBA from Harvard. He first entered parliament in 1977 under New Democracy and won re-election almost continuously through 2007. He served in three governments across his career. Under Konstantinos Karamanlis he served as minister for public works and spatial planning. Under Georgios Rallis he headed the Ministry of Industry and Energy. His most prominent role came under Konstantinos Mitsotakis, when he served successively as Environment Minister, Minister of National Economy, and finally Finance Minister between 1990 and 1993. His ministerial record left a lasting mark on Athens. He oversaw the restoration of the Plaka district, signed the contract for the Athens Metro, contributed to the planning of the Attica tollway, and relocated the old Gazi gasworks from the city center to Elefsina. After leaving New Democracy, Manos founded the Liberal Party in 1999, which ran under the symbol of a charging bull. He later co-founded the party Drasi in 2009, which has continued to contest elections since. He remained a vocal commentator on Greek politics and economics until his final years. Former EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos paid tribute shortly after the news broke, describing Manos as a politician of strong personality, independent thinking, and consistent dedication to the reforms he believed Greece needed. He called him a man who never hesitated to defend his positions, even when they went against the prevailing current. Manos was a Knight of the French Legion of Honor. He is survived by his wife and five children. #Greece #GreekPolitics #Manos