The Greek Parliament voted Wednesday by a majority in favor of electing the first woman in the country’s history, a generally honorary position. Judge Katerina Sakellaropoulou became President of the Republic with the number of votes of 261 MPs in Parliament out of 300. Sakellaropoulou was serving as President of the Council of State and was a strong advocate of environmental issues at the time, especially after her nomination by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Parliament Speaker Kostas Tasoulas said at the conclusion of the vote in Parliament, “It is time for Greece to open up to the future.” This judge will be sworn in on March 13, the same day the term of her predecessor, conservative Prokopis Pavlopoulos, ends.
Immediately after her election on January 15, in a televised speech delivered by Mitsotakis, the candidate gained consensus in a society that is considered largely male and does not reach the level of other European countries in the field of equality between women and men.
“It is time for Greece to open up to the future,” the Prime Minister said. He faced criticism immediately after assuming his duties due to the appointment of only two women to ministerial positions in his government. He added, “We do not hide the reality. Greek society is still witnessing discrimination against women,” but “this matter is changing from now on, starting at the top of the pyramid” of power.
While one in five women in Greece is unemployed, Sakellaropoulou achieved a breakthrough when she became the first woman to head the country’s highest court in October 2018 upon the nomination of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
Sakellaropoulou does not belong to any political party and is an advocate for improving women’s rights. She is divorced and has a son.
“She has always served justice, the protection of individual rights and the religious neutrality of the state,” the leftist opposition leader welcomed. “Her election rewards the progressive values she defended as a judge.”
Sakellaropoulou holds a degree in constitutional law and environmental law from the University of Athens and Paris-Sorbonne University, and is the daughter of a Supreme Court judge who defended the rights of refugees, minorities, and civil liberties.
But it particularly distinguished itself in environmental protection issues, while at the same time ensuring investment in the country, which witnessed a financial crisis that lasted a decade. In this context, she faced criticism because she defended a controversial investment project for a Canadian mining company in the north of the country.
