Former New Democracy party organization secretary Giorgos Louloudakis has died on Wednesday morning at the age of 71 in Greece.
Louloudakis was a long-serving official in the ruling center-right party and a close political associate of former Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras.
He had been a continuous member of New Democracy from its founding in 1974 until 2024, when he resigned from the party over his disagreement with the expulsion of Samaras.
Tributes from political leadership
Former prime minister Samaras expressed shock at the death of Louloudakis, describing him as a genuine, authentic, and tireless fighter for the party. Samaras added that Louloudakis was a man of integrity, a devoted family man, and more than a close associate, bidding farewell to him as a brother.
New Democracy issued an official announcement expressing sadness over the passing of its former official, praising his dedication and dynamism in strengthening party presence across the country and supporting the work of New Democracy governments.
The party leadership added that Louloudakis distinguished himself for his character, consistency, combativeness, and effectiveness in every position of responsibility he undertook, while extending sincere condolences to his family and relatives.
Decades of party service
Born in 1955 in Drama, a city in northern Greece, Louloudakis studied at the Athens University of Economics and Business, then known as ASOEE. He later worked at the National Bank of Greece, the country's oldest commercial banking institution.
Louloudakis joined New Democracy upon its establishment in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis following the restoration of democracy in Greece. He was a founding member of ONNED, the party's youth wing, and DAP-NDFK, its university student organization.
Rising through every level of the party hierarchy, he eventually attained the key post of Secretary of Party Organization. He also served as a prominent executive in DAKE, the trade union movement affiliated with New Democracy, within the National Bank of Greece Employees' Union.
