Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Greece/ Ellinikí Dimocratia/ Ellas (Female Local suffrage 1934, National female suffrage 1952) Greece was ruled from Rome 146 BCE to CE 395 when it became part of the Eastern Empire (Byzans and Constantinople). I independent from Ottoman (Turkish) Rule 1821-27 and a Kingdom until 1973

Also see Greece Heads and Greece Parliament

Thanks to Spiros Vretos to supplying corrections and additions to the list, which is complete

1920 Vice-Reine, Dowager Queen Olga Konstatinovna Romanova (25.10-21.12)
She was acting as regent until the return of her son Konstatinos I, who had been in exile since 1917. She lived (1851-1926)

1956-58 Minister of Social Affairs Lina Tsaldari
She lived (1887-1981).

1974 Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Nikie Goulandri

1976-77 Deputy Minister of  Education and Religion Lina Koutifari

1977-80 Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Anna Synodino

1981-89 Minister of Culture and Tourism Melina Mercouri
1993-94 (†) Minister of Culture
She had an international acting career behind her when she returned to Greece after the fall of the junta. She became an MP and minister and was candidate for the post of Mayor of Athens. She lived (1921-94)

1981-85 Deputy Minister  of Health and Welfare Maria Kyproatako-Perraki
1986 Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare
1988-89 Deputy Minister of State (for Equality)

1981-85? Deputy Minister of  Health and Welfare (Stav)roula Kakamanaki-Rigou

1985 Deputy Minister of Energy and Industry Vassiliki (Vasso) Papandreau
1986-88 Alternate Minister of Industry
1988-89 Minister of External Trade (Alternate Minister of Trade)
1989-92 EEC-Commissioner for Labour, Social Affairs and Industry
1996-99 Minister of Development (Industry, Trade, Energy, Technology and Tourism)
1999-2001 Minister of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization (Second in the Cabinet)
2001-04 Minister of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works
In 1994-96 Vice-President of the Council of Europe, among the Leaders of the Socialists, PASOK, after Premier Papandreau’s resignation (they are not related). 2000-01 she was the only woman in the government. One was Alternate and three Deputy Ministers of a total 43 members. In 2001 she was still the only female minister and four others were Deputy Ministers of a total of 48 members. (b. 1956-).

1986-88 Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Silva-Kaiti Akiva

1988-89 Deputy Minister of Culture Irene Lambraki

1989 Alternate Minister of Education and Religion Dr. Anna Psarouda-Benaki
1990-91 Alternate Minister of Culture
1991-92 Minister of Culture
1992-93 Minister of Justice
Vice-President of the Parliament 2000-04 and Parliament President from 2004. (b. 1934-).

1990-92 Minister of Health and Welfare Marietta Yannakou-Koutsikou
2004-07 Minister of Education and Religious Affairs
Another version of her surname is Giannakou. She is a former Member of the European Parliament and MP 1996-2007. The Conservative Government which came in office in 2004 has got 2 female and 44 male members. (b. 1951-).

1990-91 Deputy Minister of State adjunct to the Premier Minister Dora Bakoyannis
1992 Deputy Minister of State adjunct to the Premier Minister
1992-93 Minister of Culture
2006- Minister of Foreign Affairs
Chief of staff of her father, Konstantine Mitsotakis, when he became leader of the New Democracy party from 1984 and later Prime Minister. After her husband, Pavlos Bakoyannis, was killed in 1989, she was elected to the Parliament. In 1996 Candidate for the leadership of Nea Demokratia. 2000-02 Shadow Foreign- and Defence Minister, Mayor of Athens 2002-06. Married to Isidoros Kouvelos from 1998. (b. 1956-).

1990-91 Deputy Minister of Education and Religion Calliope (Kelly) A. Bourdera
1992-93 Deputy Minister of Culture
(b. 1948- )

1990-92 Deputy Minister of Culture for Sports and Youth Fanni Palli-Petralia
1992-93 Deputy Minister of Welfare in Ministry Health, Welfare and Social Services
2004-06 Alternate Minister of Culture
2006-07 Minister of Tourism
In 1993-94 Spokesperson of the Nea Demokratia

1991-93 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Virginia Tsouderon
In 1990-91 Parliamentary Spokesperson for Nea Demokratia

1993-96 Chief of Staff by the Premier Minister Dimitra Lani
She was seen as the leading force behind her husband, Premier Minister Andreas Papandreau (1919-96), who was very ill during his last tenure in government. She is a former stewardess. (b. 1954-)

1993-96 Deputy Minister of Environment, Urban Planning and Public Works Elissavet Papazoi
1996-99 Minister of the Aegean Sea
1999-2000 Minister of Culture
2000-01 Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs for Europe
In 1982-87 Prefect of The Cyclades, 1987-89 Ambassador to Cuba, 1989-93 Secretary of the PASOK-group for Foreign Policy. (b. 1944-)

1993-96 Deputy Minister of Education and Religion Eleni Stefanou

1993 Deputy Minister of State (for Equality) Maria Arseni
1994-95 Deputy Minister of Equal Rights for Women
1995-96 Deputy Minister of  Education and Religion
Prefect of Pieria 1982-85, Dean of the Parliament 1990-93.

1996-98 Deputy Minister of  Development Anna Dhiamandopoulous
1998-99 Alternate Minister of Development
1999-2004 EU-Commissioner of Social Affairs
In 1985-86 she was Prefect of Kastoria, 1987-88 Secretary General of Adult Education, 1988-89 of Youth and 1994-96 of Industry, 1996-99 MP.

1999-2000 Deputy Minister of National Economy Rodoula Zissi
2001-04 Deputy Minister of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works
Secretary of the Bureau of the Parliament 1993-96, and Dean of the Parliament 1996-99. Former Secretary in the Organization of PASOK. (b. 1953-)

2000-01 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Algeliki Laiou

2000-01 Deputy Minister of Development Milena Apostolaki

2000-01 Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Christina Spyraki

2001-04 Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Elpida Tsouri

2001-04 Deputy Minister of Education and Religious Affairs Eleni Kourkoula

2007- Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Protection Sofia Kalantzakou

Last update  22.09.07