He studied law at the University of Athens, from which he graduated with honours in 1889, obtaining the title of Doctor of Laws. He was educated at German universities (Leipzig, Munich, Göttingen and Heidelberg). He took courses in political science and sociology at the universities of Paris and London. He was multilingual and also spoke Italian. He interrupted his studies and returned to help his family due to the bankruptcy of his father’s business (raisin trading). He now practised law, where he excelled mainly because of his rhetorical skills.

For the first time in 1902, he became a politician and was elected with an independent combination. He was innovative and highly progressive. His presence made an immediate impression and the experienced editor of the Acropolis newspaper, Gavrielides, gave him a platform in three consecutive sheets to present his positions. In 1906 he was re-elected with the Theotokos party. His group was named, Group of the Japanese, because of their militancy. Dragoumis, P. Protopapadakis, Char. Vozikis, Em. Repoulis, Ap. Alexandris etc.

In 1908 he became Minister of Finance. Because of his totally democratic convictions he refused to join the Gudi movement, when he was offered the political leadership of the emergency government he replied: “I must come through the people.”

With the arrival and entry of El. Venizelos’s arrival and entry into politics, he abandoned the political leadership of the Military League. In the elections of 1910 he was again elected MP of Patras. He clashed with Venizelos on foreign policy issues and other manipulations concerning Greece’s borrowing. In 1915 the break between the King and Venizelos occurred, mainly due to disagreement on fundamental issues of foreign policy.

He served as caretaker prime minister and minister in governments formed during the National Schism, but after the successful outcome of the National Defence Movement and the flight of the royal family, he was exiled to Corsica. He returned to Greece in 1919 to participate as leader of the People’s Party in the elections, in which he was elected, forming a government shortly afterwards. During his rule it was decided to continue the Asia Minor campaign, which led to economic bankruptcy, defeat by the Turkish army and the overthrow of the government. After the establishment of the new regime, he was tried together with other government officials before an extraordinary court martial and executed on 28 November 1922. (Trial of the Six)

His nephew was Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, later Prime Minister.