Aleka Papariga
Encyclopedia
Alexandra "Aleka" Papariga (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 a political party in Greece.
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.
. 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.
. 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. 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.
As a KKE candidate in Athens B constituency, Papariga has been elected to the Hellenic Parliament
since the 1993 election
.
. She is a widow (her husband died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver) and has one daughter, Vasilia Papariga (Greek: Βασιλεία Παπαρήγα).
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who has served the Communist Party of Greece
Communist Party of Greece
Founded in 1918, the Communist Party of Greece , better known by its acronym, ΚΚΕ , is the oldest party on the Greek political scene.- Foundation :...
(KKE) as its General Secretary since 1991. She is the first woman to head a political party in Greece.
Early years
Papariga was born in AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in 1945. Her parents were National Resistance
Greek Resistance
The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...
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)United Democratic Left
The United Democratic Left was a political party in Greece, active mostly before the Greek military junta of 1967-1974.-Foundation:...
. 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.
Military junta
She joined KKE illegally in 1968 during the Greek military junta and was active in the prisoners' families' movement.Third Hellenic Republic
After the end of the military junta, 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 DayInternational Women's Day
International Women's Day , originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and...
. 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
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, and many international conferences and symposia.
Papariga has been a member of the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of KKE since the 10th Congress (May 1978) and of the Politburo
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
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. 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.
As a KKE candidate in Athens B constituency, Papariga has been elected to the Hellenic Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
since the 1993 election
Greek legislative election, 1993
Legislative elections were held in the Hellenic Republic on October 10, 1993. At stake were 300 seats in the Greek parliament, the Voule.The Panhellenic Socialist Movement of Andreas Papandreou, was elected, defeating the conservative New Democracy party of Constantine Mitsotakis.-Results:...
.
Other information
She is the author of two books on women's emancipationWomen's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
. She is a widow (her husband died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver) and has one daughter, Vasilia Papariga (Greek: Βασιλεία Παπαρήγα).
External links
- Short biographic note website of the Communist Party of GreeceCommunist Party of GreeceFounded in 1918, the Communist Party of Greece , better known by its acronym, ΚΚΕ , is the oldest party on the Greek political scene.- Foundation :...