María Alicia Lemme (born 1954) is an Argentine

Peronist Peronism, also known as justicialism, is an Argentine ideology and movement based on the ideas, doctrine and legacy of Juan Perón (1895–1974). It has been an influential movement in 20th- and 21st-century Argentine politics. Since 1946, Pe ...

politician. She became Vice Governor of

San Luis Province San Luis () is a Provinces of Argentina, province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country (on the 32° South parallel). Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja Province (Argentina), La Rioja, Córdo ...

in 1999, deputising for

Adolfo Rodríguez Saá Adolfo Rodríguez-Saá (; born 25 July 1947) is an Argentina, Argentine Peronism, Peronist politician. Born in a family that was highly influential in the history of the San Luis Province, he became the province's Governor of San Luis, governo ...

, and became Governor of San Luis upon Rodríguez Saá's resignation in 2001. Notably, Lemme was the first-ever female governor of an Argentine province. Lemme also served as mayor of two cities in San Luis: Juana Koslay (from 1991 to 1997) and the City of San Luis (from 2007 to 2011).

Biography

Born in

Villa Mercedes Villa Mercedes is a city in the province of San Luis, Argentina. It lies on the center-east of the province, on the left-hand banks of the Quinto River, 32 km from the border with Córdoba, on National Route 148, and near the intersection ...

, Lemme became an architect by profession and served as Mayor of Juana Koslay (1991–97), and in the Provincial Legislature (1997–99). She was elected Vice-Governor of the Province alongside

in 1999. Rodríguez Saá's appointment as President of Argentina by

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

in December 2001 left Lemme the governorship. She was the first female governor since the restoration of democracy. Lemme stepped down in 2003, allowing

Alberto Rodríguez Saá Alberto José Rodriguez-Saá (born August 21, 1949) is an Argentine lawyer and politician. He was Governor of San Luis Province on two separate occasions. He was presidential candidate for the center-right peronism, Orthodox and Federal Peron ...

to stand for election to the Governorship formerly held by his brother Adolfo. Later that year, she and Adolfo were elected as National Deputies. In 2006, Lemme took a leave of absence from Congress. She was elected as Mayor of San Luis in August 2007 with just over 50% of the vote defeating incumbent Mayor Alfonso Vergés, the candidate of the

Front for Victory The Front for Victory (, FPV) was a centre-left Peronist electoral alliance in Argentina, and is formally a faction of the Justicialist Party. Former presidents Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were elected as representatives ...

of then President

Néstor Kirchner Néstor Carlos Kirchner Ostoić (; 25 February 195027 October 2010) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the president of Argentina from 2003 to 2007. A member of the Justicialist Party, he previously served as Governor of Sa ...

.San Luis: Alicia Lemme ganó las elecciones para intendente
'' Clarín'', 6 August 2007. Accessed 11 April 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lemme, Alicia 1954 births Living people People from Villa Mercedes, San Luis Argentine people of Italian descent Justicialist Party politicians Members of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies elected in San Luis Governors of San Luis Province Women mayors of places in Argentina Women members of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies Women governors of provinces of Argentina Argentine deputies 2003–2005 Argentine deputies 2005–2007