Glafcos Clerides | |
|---|---|
Γλαύκος Κληρίδης | |
 Official portrait, 1993 | |
| 4th President of Cyprus | |
| In office 28 February 1993 – 28 February 2003 | |
| Preceded by | George Vassiliou |
| Succeeded by | Tassos Papadopoulos |
| In office 23 July 1974 – 7 December 1974 Acting | |
| Preceded by | Nikos Sampson (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Makarios III |
| 1st President of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 16 August 1960 – 19 September 1976 | |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Tassos Papadopoulos |
| 1st President of DISY | |
| In office 1976–1993 | |
| Succeeded by | Yiannakis Matsis |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 16 August 1960 – 19 September 1976 | |
| Constituency | Nicosia |
| In office 4 June 1981 – 27 February 1993 | |
| Constituency | Nicosia |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 April 1919 Nicosia, British Cyprus (now Cyprus) |
| Died | 15 November 2013 (aged 94) Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Political party | Patriotic Front (1959–1969) Eniaion (1969–1976) Democratic Rally (from 1976) |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | King's College London |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1942-1944 |
Glafcos Ioannou Clerides (Greek: Γλαύκος Ιωάννου Κληρίδης; 24 April 1919 – 15 November 2013) was a Cypriot statesman, who served as President of Cyprus in 1974 and from 1993 to 2003.
A barrister and former Royal Air Force pilot, Clerides played an important role in the Cypriot struggle for independence, first as a member of the anti-colonial guerilla organization EOKA and later in the drafting of the country's constitution. He then served as the first Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1960 to 1976, and briefly took over the presidency of Cyprus on an interim basis following the failure of the 1974 coup, overseeing the island's defence amidst the Turkish invasion. Clerides founded the center-right Democratic Rally in 1976 and won the presidential election as its candidate in 1993, before securing a second term in 1998. He failed to win a third term in 2003. As President, Clerides presided over a period of significant economic growth and was instrumental in Cyprus' accession to the European Union. Widely respected for his political and legal acumen, he remained an influential figure in Cypriot politics until his death in 2013.