Marika Mitsotakis

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Marika Mitsotakis
Marika (center) with her husband and Aimilios Metaxopoulos
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
SpouseKonstantinos Mitsotakis
ChildrenDora Bakoyannis
Alexandra Mitsotakis
Aikaterini Mitsotakis
Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Marika Mitsotakis (

Greek politics.[2] She was nicknamed "Mrs. Marika" among Greeks.[2]

Biography

Personal life

Mitsotakis was born to a prominent Athenian family on November 29, 1930 of Arvanite parents.

She married Konstantinos Mitsotakis, member of a

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

Mitsotakis served as the Spouse of the Prime Minister from 1990 to 1993 during her husband's tenure as head of government.

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

Valium tablets."[2]

Mitsotakis was widely regarded as an excellent

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

Main members of the Venizelos/Mitsotakis/Bakoyannis 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

  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