50 Years of the Restoration of Democracy in Greece

The central façade of the Greek Parliament building in Syntagma Square, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the foreground. The commemorative inscription and issuing state "50 XPONIA APO THN APOKATAΣTAΣH THΣ ΔHMOKPATIAΣ – ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ" runs along the upper edge. The years 1974 and 2024 flank the Greek flag on the building on either side. The palmette of the Greek mint is positioned along the lower edge, with the coin designer's initials "ΣTAM" visible to the right.

Seven years of military dictatorship in Greece ended in July 1974 with the collapse of the colonels' regime — a junta that had overthrown the elected government in 1967 and subjected the country to repression and censorship. The return to democracy took the form of a controlled transition: conservative politician Konstantinos Karamanlis returned from exile, took over the government, and laid the foundations for a stable parliamentary rule of law. In December 1974, a referendum voted clearly against restoring the monarchy. Greece chose to remain a republic — a decision enshrined in the 1975 constitution, which still forms the country's basic state order today.

The parliament on Syntagma Square in Athens stands at the heart of this democratic continuity. The neoclassical building, originally constructed as a royal palace in the 19th century, has housed the Vouli ton Ellinon, the Greek unicameral parliament, since 1934. In front of the parliament building stands the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the Evzones in their traditional uniform — a site of national remembrance that represents both military sacrifice and civilian statehood. To mark the 50th anniversary of the restoration of democracy, Greece issued a commemorative coin in 2024 depicting this symbolic site.