Vasso Papandreou (born 31 July 1944 in Valimitika) is a Greek politician. After being in exile during the rule of the

Greek junta The Greek junta or Regime of the Colonels, . Also known within Greece as just the Junta ( el, η Χούντα, i Choúnta, links=no, ), the Dictatorship ( el, η Δικτατορία, i Diktatoría, links=no, ) or the Seven Years ( el, η Ε ...

, she returned to Greece in 1974 and was a founding member of

PASOK The Panhellenic Socialist Movement ( el, Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα, Panellínio Sosialistikó Kínima, ), known mostly by its acronym PASOK, (; , ) is a social-democratic political party in Greece. Until 2012, it ...

. In 1981 she was awarded a

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * '' Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. al ...

in economics from the

University of Reading The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...

. She was a member of PASOK's Central Committee until 1988, and served as Deputy Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology 1986 to 1987 and as Deputy Minister of Commerce in 1988. In 1989, she was appointed as Greece's

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...

er, taking the post of Commissioner for Employment, industrial relations and social affairs in the second Delors Commission. After her term on the commission, she returned to Greek domestic politics and was elected to the

Hellenic Parliament The Hellenic Parliament ( el, Ελληνικό Κοινοβούλιο, Elliniko Kinovoulio; formally titled el, Βουλή των Ελλήνων, Voulí ton Ellínon, Boule of the Hellenes, label=none), also known as the Parliament of the He ...

in the 1993,

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 800, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone o ...

and 2000 elections. She served in the Third Cabinet of Prime Minister Costas Simitis as

Minister for the Interior Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

from 2000 to 2001, and then as

Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works The Ministry of the Environment, Urban Planning and Public Works of Greece ( el, Υπουργείο Περιβάλλοντος, Χωροταξίας και Δημοσίων Έργων, commonly abbreviated as ΥΠΕΧΩΔΕ). Following the electoral ...

from 2001 to 2004.

References

1944 births Living people Alumni of the University of Reading PASOK politicians Government ministers of Greece Women government ministers of Greece Ministers of the Interior of Greece Environment ministers of Greece Greek MPs 1993–1996 Greek MPs 1996–2000 Greek MPs 2000–2004 Women members of the Hellenic Parliament Greek European Commissioners European Commissioners 1989–1992 Women European Commissioners People from Aigio {{EU-stub