Following the March 2004 legislative election, which was won by New Democracy, Pavlopoulos became Minister for the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation in the new government of the Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis on 10 March 2004.
Setelah pemilihan legislatif Maret 2004, yang dimenangkan oleh Demokrasi Baru, Pavlopoulos menjadi Menteri Dalam Negeri, Administrasi Publik dan Desentralisasi dalam pemerintahan baru Perdana Menteri Kostas Karamanlis pada 10 Maret 2004.