Christos Sartzetakis (Greek: Χρήστος Σαρτζετάκης; 6 April 1929 – 3 February 2022) was a Greek jurist and public official who served as President of the Hellenic Republic from 1985 to 1990. He rose to national prominence as an investigating magistrate in a politically charged murder case in the 1960s and later held senior judicial office before his election to the presidency during a period of modern Greek political consolidation.
Career and judicial work
Sartzetakis trained and worked as a career judge. Over decades he served in a variety of judicial posts and became known for meticulous and independent investigations. He held one of the highest judicial posts in Greece as a senior member of the Court of Cassation (the supreme court for civil and criminal matters), where his legal standing and reputation for integrity were widely recognized.
The Lambrakis investigation and its aftermath
In the 1960s Sartzetakis was the investigating magistrate in the inquiry into the assassination of left‑wing MP Grigoris Lambrakis. That investigation exposed connections between violent right‑wing groups and elements within state authorities and had a major political impact at the time. His role in the case brought him both public acclaim and political hostility; during the years of authoritarian rule in Greece (1967–1974) he suffered professional sanctions and difficulties because of his record.
Presidency (1985–1990)
In 1985 Sartzetakis was nominated for the largely ceremonial but symbolically important office of President of the Hellenic Republic by the government of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou and was elected by the Hellenic Parliament. He served a five‑year term that coincided with the consolidation of the modern Third Hellenic Republic and continued to be regarded as a figure of legal independence and moral authority in public life. For context on the institutional framework of the period see Third Hellenic Republic.
Later life, death and legacy
After leaving the presidency Sartzetakis remained a respected elder statesman and commentator on legal and public matters. He died on 3 February 2022 in a hospital in Athens (hospital report) at the age of 92. Reports at the time cited acute respiratory failure as the immediate cause of death (medical notice).
Notable facts
- Sartzetakis is remembered for his independence as a magistrate and for conducting an investigation that became a touchstone in modern Greek political history.
- His election to the presidency symbolized a post‑dictatorship affirmation of judicial autonomy and democratic institutions.
- Wider cultural responses to the era in which he worked include films and books inspired by the events his inquiries uncovered.