Evangelos Venizelos was born in Thessaloniki on 1.1.1957. He is married to Lila Bakatselou and has a daughter, Elvina .He speaks English and French.

Academic career

He studied Law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and continued with postgraduate studies at the University of Paris II, France and PhD at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki He holds an Honorary PhD from La Trobe University Melbourne, Australia. 

He is Professor of Constitutional Law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

He has published many academic studies and legal textbooks, as well as books dealing with the political issues surrounding the role of mass media in modern democracies, the role of government institutions, European affairs, Greek foreign policy, culture and growth policy in the 21st  Century etc. His studies have been published in most academic journals and his articles in national andinternational press.

Political career

Evangelos Venizelos was member of the Central Council of the Students Union of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1977) and the National Council of Students’ Unions (1975).

He has been elected MP (PASOK) in Thessaloniki (A) Constituency in the general elections of 1993, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2015. He was a member of the Constitutional Αmendment Committee and the general rapporteur on behalf of the parliamentary majority in the Constitutional Amendment of 2001.

Evangelos Venizelos has been member of the Central Committee of PASOK since 1990 and member of PASOK Executive Office.

Since 1993 he has served in ministerial positions under the PASOK governments of Andreas Papandreou, Kostas Simitis and George Papandreou.  In particular, he has served as:

• Minister for Press and Mass Media- Government Spokesman (1993-95) 
• Minister for Transport and Communications (1995-96)
• Minister for Justice (1996)
• Minister for Culture & Sports (1996 – 1999)
• Minister for Development, Energy, Industry, Trade, Tourism and Technology (1999-2000)
• Minister for Culture & Sports 2000-2004 (in charge of coordinating the entire range of aspects of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games preparation (Infrastructures, relations with International Olympic Committee etc.)
• Minister for National Defence (2009-2011)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister (17.06.2011 - 18.03.2012)

In 18.03.2012, he resigned from his government positions as he was elected President of PASOK.

He was President of PASOK from March 2012 to June 2015. From June 2013 to January 2015 he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister.

Εvangelos Venizelos currently serves as MP for Thessaloniki A Constituency and  Secretary of the Special Permanent Committee on Institutions and Transparency. He is the Vice Chairperson of the Socialist Group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe