He was given the title of President of the Republic on 25 November 1973, after Papadopoulos was ousted by Dimitrios Ioannidis as head of the regime in an internal power struggle. While serving as president, following the supported coup in Cyprus, he would detract from open confrontation with Turkish forces during the invasion of Cyprus. Ioannidis would later blame Gizikis and other hesitant leaders as the reason for the Greek loss. As president he gave the task of forming a new government, following the collapse of the Junta, to Constantine Karamanlis. After the fall of the dictatorship in 1974, he retained his post for four months "pro tempore", until a new constitution could be enacted during metapolitefsi; he was then replaced by Michail Stasinopoulos.