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Marika Mitsotakis

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Marika Mitsotakis
Μαρίκα Μητσοτάκη
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Greece
In office
11 April 1990 – 13 October 1993
Preceded byLola Zolota
Succeeded byDimitra Liani
Personal details
Born
Marika Giannoukou

(1930-11-29)November 29, 1930
Athens, Greece
DiedMay 6, 2012(2012-05-06) (aged 81)
Athens, Greece
SpouseKonstantinos Mitsotakis
ChildrenDora Bakoyannis
Alexandra Mitsotakis
Aikaterini Mitsotakis
Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Marika Mitsotakis (née Giannoukou, Greek: Μαρίκα Μητσοτάκη; November 29, 1930 – May 6, 2012) was the wife of the former Prime Minister of Greece Konstantinos Mitsotakis.[1] She was regarded as a prominent political voice with the New Democracy political party, her husband's government, and Greek politics.[2] She was nicknamed "Mrs. Marika" among Greeks.[2]

Biography

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Personal life

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Mitsotakis was born to a prominent Athenian family on November 29, 1930.[2] She contracted poliomyelitis at a swimming pool when she was seventeen years old.[1] She survived the illness, but lived with a walking disability for the rest of her life.[1] In addition to her political activities, Mitsotakis became an activist for people with disabilities in Greece.[1]

She married Konstantinos Mitsotakis, member of a political family from Crete, in 1953.[2] The couple had four children: Dora, who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece from 2006 to 2009 and Mayor of Athens from 2003 until 2006, Alexandra, a civil-society activist, Katerina (Aikaterini) and Kyriakos, a member of the Hellenic Parliament from the New Democracy party who on 8 July 2019 became Prime Minister of Greece.[1] Konstantinos served as the head of the New Democracy political party from 1984 to 1993.

Political influence

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Mitsotakis served as the Spouse of the Prime Minister from 1990 to 1993 during her husband's tenure as head of government.[1] She assumed the traditional role of the wife of a Prime Minister, being quoted in Time Magazine at the time of the 1990 election saying, "Finally, my Kostas, we've made it."[2] However, she was known for her political skills and outspokenness. In 1990, soon after taking office, Prime Minister Mitsotakis made his first appearance in the Greek parliament. A member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) accused Marika of making "insolent gestures" towards socialist politicians during the session.[2] Marika responded to the lawmaker's accusation, "I'll get my stick and beat you with it."[2] In 1991, Marika publicly criticized Minister of Industry Stavros Dimas.[2] Dimas quickly resigned during an official trip to the Soviet Union as a result of Marika's criticism.[2]

Mitsotakis often defended her husband against political opponents. She also likened his calm political style and persona to the calming effect of Valium, telling a reporter, "If you chopped (him) into little pieces, you could sell him as Valium tablets."[2]

Mitsotakis was widely regarded as an excellent cook in Greek political circles, leading to an urban legend that she used her culinary skills to influence politics.[2] Political opponents of Konstantinos Mitsotakis accused her of using food to persuade two members of the Communist Party of Greece to join a 1989 coalition government with the conservatives with the purpose of pursuing corruption charges against Andreas Papandreou.[2] Marika used the urban legend to write, publish and market her 2011 best-selling cookbook, Recipes With a Bit of History[1][2] published in English in 2012 with the title Recipes of Love.

Mitsotakis was hospitalized on April 17, 2012.[3] She died at the Evgenidion Hospital in Athens on May 6, 2012, at the age of 81.[1] She was survived by her husband and their four children, thirteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.[1]

Venizelos/Mitsotakis family tree

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Main members of the Venizelos/Mitsotakis family.[4] Prime Ministers of Greece are highlighted in light blue.
Kyriakos Venizelos [la]
(?–1883)		Styliani Ploumidaki
(1830–1897)
Eleftherios Venizelos
(1864–1936)		Katingo Venizelou
(1858–1934)		Constantine "Costis" Mitsotakis [el]
(1845–1898)
Kyriakos Venizelos [el]
(1892–1942)		Sofoklis Venizelos
(1894–1964)		Kyriakos Mitsotakis [el]
(1892–1942)		Stavroula Ploumidaki[5]
(1896–1983)
Nikitas Venizelos
(1930–2020)		Konstantinos Mitsotakis
(1918–2017)		Marika Giannoukou
(1930–2012)
Pavlos Bakoyannis
(1935–1989)		Dora Bakoyannis
née Mitsotaki
(b. 1954)		Kyriakos Mitsotakis
(b. 1968)
Kostas Bakoyannis
(b. 1978)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Papapostolou, Anastasios (2012-05-06). "Former First Lady of Greece Marika Mitsotakis Dies at 82". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Nellas, Demetris (2012-05-06). "Marika Mitsotakis, wife of former Greek PM, dies Dies at 82". The Guardian. Associated Press. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
  3. ^ Tsatsou, Marianna (2012-04-17). "Former Greek First Lady Marika Mitsotakis Hospitalized". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  4. ^ Constantine Mitsotakis institute. "Biography – Roots". Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  5. ^ Stavroula Ploumidaki is also a first cousin, once removed, of Eleftherios Venizelos
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