Marika Mitsotakis

Marika Mitsotakis (née Giannoukou) (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

Personal life

Mitsotakis was born Marika Giannoukou 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, a member of political family from Crete, in 1953.^[2] The couple had four children, including Dora Bakoyannis, who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece from 2006 to 2009 and Mayor of Athens from 2003 until 2006, and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, a member of the Hellenic Parliament from the New Democracy party.^[1] Konstantinos Mitsotakis served as the head of the New Democracy political party from 1984 to 1993.

Political influence

Mitsotakis served as the First Lady from 1990 to 1993 during her husband's tenure as Prime Minister.^[1] Mitsotakis 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 Costas, 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 Mitsotakis of making "insolent gestures" towards socialist politicians during the session.^[2] Marika Mitsotakis responded to the lawmaker's accusation, "I'll get my stick and beat you with it."^[2] In 1991, Marika Mitsotakis publicly criticized Minister of Industry Stavros Dimas.^[2] Dimas quickly resigned during an official trip to the Soviet Union as a result of Mitsotakis' 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]

Marika 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 into joining a 1989 coalition government with the conservatives with the purpose of pursuing corruption charges against Andreas Papandreou.^[2] Mitsotakis used the urban legend to write, publish and market her 2011 best-selling cookbook, Recipes With a Bit of History.^[1][2]

Mitsotakis was hospitalized on April 17, 2012.^[3] She died from complications of poliomyelitis at the Evgenidion Hospital in Athens on May 6, 2012, at the age of 82.^[1] She was survived by her husband and their four children, thirteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.^[1]

References