Ioannis Grivas (Ιωάννης Γρίβας; 23 February 1923 – 27 November 2016) was a Greek jurist and public servant who briefly led a non‑party caretaker government. He is officially counted as the 87th Prime Minister of Greece (Prime Minister of Greece) and is remembered primarily for his long judicial career and his role in ensuring constitutional continuity during a period of political uncertainty.

Born in Kato Tithorea, in the Phthiotis region of central Greece, Grivas studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. After completing his legal education he entered the magistracy and advanced through the judicial ranks over several decades. His training and temperament were rooted in classical legal education and public administration.

Grivas rose to the senior bench and served as president of Greece's Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos), the highest court for civil and criminal matters, where he gained a reputation for legal conservatism, procedural rigor and institutional impartiality. Colleagues and observers regarded him as a representative of the professional judiciary rather than of partisan politics (judge and politician).

In late 1989, amid a parliamentary stalemate and successive inconclusive elections, the president of the republic appointed Grivas to head a caretaker cabinet tasked with managing day‑to‑day government functions and supervising the conduct of new elections. His brief administration was intended to be neutral and temporary, focusing on administrative continuity rather than on long‑term policy initiatives.

After his service as caretaker prime minister he returned to his judicial duties and later retired from public office. Grivas died in Athens on 27 November 2016 at the age of 93; his death was noted in the Greek press and among legal circles (Athens).

Legacy and notable facts

  • Known primarily as a career judge who temporarily assumed executive duties in a constitutional caretaker role.
  • Remembered for emphasizing the impartial, administrative character of a caretaker government rather than pursuing partisan objectives.
  • Served as president of the Court of Cassation, representing the apex of the Greek judicial system.
  • Counted historically as the 87th prime minister of Greece, illustrating the constitutional practice of appointing non‑partisan figures in times of political deadlock.