He became MP of the European Parliament by replacing Stavros Lambrinidis, who went on to become Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece.

Droutsas was born on 5 August 1968 in Nicosia, Cyprus, the son of a Greek father and a German mother from Frankfurt am Main.

After primary school the family moved to Vienna, where his father worked at the Greek embassy.

In March 2004, he was appointed the Director of the Diplomatic Cabinet of the President of Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) George A. Papandreou.

From March 2008, he served as the spokesperson of Pasok and in May 2008, he was appointed its Secretary for Foreign Policy and International Relations.