View source for 1935 Greek monarchy referendum

{{short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{infobox referendum
|title=
|country=Second Hellenic Republic
|flag_image=
|date=3 November 1935
|yes=1491992
|no=32454
|invalid=3268
|electorate=
}}{{Politics of Greece}}

A [[referendum]] on restoring [[Monarchy of Greece|the monarchy]] was held in [[Greece]] on 3 November 1935.<ref name=NS>[[Dieter Nohlen]] & Phillip Stöver (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p830 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}}</ref> The proposal was approved by nearly 97.9% of voters,<ref>Nohlen & Stöver, p838</ref> although the conduct during the referendum is not considered to have been free or fair. [[George II of Greece|George II]] returned from exile and was restored to [[List of kings of Greece|the throne]] on 25 November 1935.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Miller |first=William |year=1936 |title=A New Era in Greece |journal=[[Foreign Affairs]] |volume=14 |issue=4 |pages=654–661 |jstor=20030766 }}</ref>

==Background==
After the defeat of [[Greece]] by the [[Turkish National Movement]] (the "[[Asia Minor Disaster]]" of 1922), the defeated army [[11 September 1922 Revolution|revolted against the royal government]]. [[Constantine I of Greece|King Constantine I]] was forced to abdicate in 1922, and died in exile in 1923. His eldest son and successor, King [[George II of Greece|George II]], was soon after asked by the parliament to leave [[Greece]] so the nation could decide what form of government it should adopt. In a [[1924 Greek republic referendum|1924 referendum]], Greeks voted to create [[Second Hellenic Republic|a republic]].{{fact|date=July 2020}}

In 1935, [[List of Prime Ministers of Greece|Prime Minister]] [[Georgios Kondylis]], a former pro-[[Eleftherios Venizelos|Venizelos]] military officer, became the most powerful political figure in Greece. On 10 October, he compelled [[Panagis Tsaldaris]] to resign as Prime Minister and took over the government, suspending many constitutional provisions in the process. Kondylis, who had now joined the Conservatives, decided to hold a referendum in order to re-establish the monarchy, despite the fact that he used to be a supporter of the anti-monarchist wing of Greek politics.{{fact|date=July 2020}}

The referendum was scheduled to take place on 3 November per resolution "on the abolition of the republic" of 10 October 1935 (ΦΕΚ Α΄ 456).<ref>see [http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wFO_KkoXZFLcndtvSoClrL8Qhfx31vVvCF5MXD0LzQTLWPU9yLzB8V68knBzLCmTXKaO6fpVZ6Lx9hLslJUqeiQokG3cqhtjw7iaqI5mjo_l6M0yDO77mVxRF4VcRV3VgM. Gazette 456, dated 10.10.1935, p. 2295]</ref>

==Conduct==
Observers of the time expressed serious doubts about the vote's legitimacy. Besides the implausibly high "yes" vote, the vote was held in far-from-secret circumstances. Voters dropped a blue piece of paper into the ballot box if they supported the king's return, or a red paper to retain the republic.  Anyone who cast a red paper risked being beaten up.<ref>[https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,755330,00.html By the Grace of God] ''Time'', 18 November 1935</ref>

==Results==
{{Referendum results
|for=1491992
|against=32454
|invalid=3268
|source=Nohlen & Stöver
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Greek elections}}

[[Category:1935 in Greece|Plebiscite]]
[[Category:1930s in Greek politics]]
[[Category:Referendums in Greece]]
[[Category:1935 referendums|Greece]]
[[Category:Republicanism in Greece]]
[[Category:History of Greece (1924–1941)]]
[[Category:Monarchism in Greece]]
[[Category:Monarchy referendums]]
[[Category:November 1935 in Europe|Greece]]