Anna Benaki-Psarouda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anna Benaki-Psarouda
Άννα Μπενάκη-Ψαρούδα
Benaki-Psarouda in 2007
6th Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament
In office 19 March 2004 – 28 September 2007
President	Konstantinos Stephanopoulos Karolos Papoulias
Preceded by	Apostolos Kaklamanis
Succeeded by	Dimitris Sioufas
Minister of Justice
In office 3 December 1992 – 14 September 1993
Prime Minister	Konstantinos Mitsotakis
Preceded by	Ioannis Varvitsiotis
Succeeded by	Georgios Plagianakos
Minister of Culture
In office 8 August 1991 – 3 December 1992
Prime Minister	Konstantinos Mitsotakis
Preceded by	Tzannis Tzannetakis
Succeeded by	Dora Bakoyannis
In office 2 July 1989 – 7 July 1989
Prime Minister	Tzannis Tzannetakis
Preceded by	Melina Mercouri
Succeeded by	Georgios Mylonas
Personal details
Born	(1934-12-12)12 December 1934 Exarcheia, Athens, Kingdom of Greece
Died	15 February 2026(2026-02-15) (aged 91) Athens, Greece
Political party	New Democracy
Spouse	Linos Benakis (?–2022)
Alma mater	University of Athens University of Bonn University of Freiburg
Website	Official Website: http://www.benakianna.gr/%CE%92%CE%B9%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C/%CE%92%CE%B9%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-EN

Anna Benaki-Psarouda (pronounced Ah-na Beh-nah-kee Psa-roo-tha, in Greek: Άννα Μπενάκη-Ψαρούδα) was a very important Greek lawyer and politician. She was born on December 12, 1934, and passed away on February 15, 2026. She was a member of the New Democracy political party and also a respected member of the Academy of Athens, which is a top scientific and cultural institution in Greece.

Anna Benaki-Psarouda's Journey

Early Life and Education

Anna Benaki-Psarouda was born in a neighborhood called Exarcheia in Athens, the capital city of Greece. She studied very hard and earned her PhD degree from the University of Bonn in Germany. After her studies, she became a lawyer and joined the Athens Bar Association, which is a group for lawyers. She also shared her knowledge by teaching law.

Stepping into Politics

In 1981, Anna Benaki-Psarouda decided to enter the world of politics. She became a member of the New Democracy party. In 1985, she played a key role when there was a big discussion about changing Greece's main rules, called the constitution. She spoke for her party against some of these proposed changes.

Important Government Roles

During the 1990s, Anna Benaki-Psarouda held several important jobs in the Greek government. She served as the Minister of Culture, helping to protect and promote Greece's rich history and arts. Later, she became the Minister of Justice, where she was in charge of legal matters and fairness in the country.

Leading the Parliament

One of her most significant achievements was from 2004 to 2007, when she became the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament. The Parliament is where laws are made. As Speaker, she was like the leader of the meetings, making sure everything ran smoothly. She made history by being the first woman ever to hold this very important position in Greece!

A Respected Academician

Beyond politics, Anna Benaki-Psarouda was also recognized for her intellectual contributions. In 2010, she was chosen to be a member of the Academy of Athens. This is a great honor, given to people who have made outstanding achievements in science, arts, or literature. She later served as the vice-president of the Academy in 2019 and then as its president in 2020.

Anna Benaki-Psarouda passed away on February 15, 2026, at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy of public service and dedication.