Papariga, Alexandra (1945—)

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Papariga, Alexandra (1945—)

Greek archaeologist, accountant, and politician who was the first woman to be elected secretary general of the Communist Party of Greece. Name variations: Aleka Papariga. Born in Athens, Greece, in 1945; studied history and archaeology at the University of Athens; married; children: one daughter.

Trained as an archaeologist but active in the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) since 1968, Alexandra Papariga was barred from pursuing a teaching post in archaeology during the right-wing military dictatorship (1967–74). Unable to work, she became more active politically, founding the Women's Federation of Greece (OGE) and participating in various international women's fora, including the United Nations. She was also elected a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1978 and advanced to the executive branch of the party as a member of the KKE Political Bureau in 1986. In 1991, with the support of the orthodox wing, she was elected secretary general, the first woman ever to lead the party. In 1993, she was elected to Parliament for the second electoral district of Athens; she was reelected in 1996.