He was elected for the first time
MP with
EK-ND in
the elections of 1974. He was re-elected with
EDIK in 1977. Afterwards, he joined
PASOK and was appointed Deputy Education Minister in 1982-1985,
Minister for Macedonia and Thrace in 1987-1989 and
Minister for Public Order in 1993-1995. During his term as Minister of Public Order, he faced strong opposition, mainly by the owners of the night clubs and bars, for a 2am curfew he imposed on clubs and bars. His decisions were seen as trying to control nightlife and as being contrary to the Greek spirit of leisure. He later left PASOK and was elected as an independent MP on the
New Democracy list for
Thessaloniki in
the 2004 elections. Though he started his political career in a liberal party and was later in a socialdemocratic one, he is now considered a left-wing nationalist and "traditional centrist patriot". He has a privileged relationship with the
Church of Greece. ==Party leader==