Aleka Papariga
Aleka Papariga Αλέκα Παπαρήγα | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece | |
| Assumed office 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Grigoris Farakos |
| Member of the Hellenic Parliament | |
| Assumed office 1993 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 5, 1945 Athens, Greece |
| Political party | Communist Party of Greece |
| Spouse | Athanasios Paparigas |
| Children | Vasilia Papariga |
| Residence | Athens, Greece |
| Alma mater | University of Athens |
| Occupation | Politician, activist |
Alexandra "Aleka" Papariga (Greek: Αλέκα Παπαρήγα) (born November 5, 1945) is a communist Greek politician who has served the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) as its General Secretary since 1991. She is the first woman to head the Communist Party and any other party in Greece.[1]
Early years
Papariga was born in Athens in 1945. Her parents were National Resistance fighters and members of KKE, of Kefalonian origin.
She graduated from the Historical-Archeological Section of the Philosophy Faculty of Athens University and after graduation worked as an employee for eight years in various accounting offices. At the same time she worked as a private tutor. Since 1976 she has worked exclusively in party and social activities.
Political career
Papariga started out as an activist in the peace movement in 1961 and soon after joined the pupils' organization of the youth section of the United Democratic Left (EDA).[2] She was active in various school and student movements until the military coup in 1967. Throughout this period, she was a member of the Bureau of the EDA youth section pupils' organization and then of the "Lambrakis" Democratic Youth Students’ organization Bureau.
Dictatorship
She joined KKE illegally in 1968 during the military dictatorship[1] and was active in the prisoners' families' movement.
Modern republic
After the end of the dictatorship, she became a member of the Bureau of the City Committee of the Athens Party Organization (KOA), and was also active in the women's movement. A founding member of the Women's Federation of Greece, she participated in the organization of national events for International Women's Day. She was a leading member of the women's movement until to 1981, and then active in the Athens Party Organization up to 1991. During her activities in the women's movement, she participated in international congresses of the Women's International Democratic Federation, the United Nations, and many international conferences and symposia.
Papariga has been a member of the Central Committee of KKE since the 10th Congress (May 1978) and of the Politburo of the CC since 1986. On February 27, 1991 at the 13th Party Congress, she was elected as Secretary-General of the KKE. She was unanimously re-elected as Secretary-General on May 26, 1996, at the 15th Party Congress.[1] In February 2009, Papariga was re-elected as Secretary-General at the 18th Party Congress. This re-election made her the most long-lived General Secretary of the KKE.[3]
As a KKE candidate in Athens B constituency, Papariga has been elected to the Hellenic Parliament since the 1993 election.[1]
Other information
She is the author of two books on women's emancipation. She is a widow (her husband died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver) and has one daughter, Basileia Papariga (Greek: Βασιλεία Παπαρήγα).
References
- ^ a b c d CV at Hellenic Parliament website.
- ^ "SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF GREECE Alexandra Papariga". ANA-MPA. ana-mpa.gr. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
- ^ Bitsika, Panagiota (2009-02-24). "Τι σημαίνουν οι αλλαγές στο ΚΚΕ". To Vima (in Greek). tovima.gr. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
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External links
- Short biographic note website of the Communist Party of Greece
This page incorporates information from the Hellenic Parliament website