Cristina Fernández de Kirchner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Fernández de Kirchner in 2024
President of the Justicialist Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 November 2024
Preceded by	Alberto Fernández
56th President of Argentina
In office 10 December 2007 – 10 December 2015
Vice President	Julio Cobos (2007–2011) Amado Boudou (2011–2015)
Preceded by	Néstor Kirchner
Succeeded by	Mauricio Macri
Vice President of Argentina
In office 10 December 2019 – 10 December 2023
President	Alberto Fernández
Preceded by	Gabriela Michetti
Succeeded by	Victoria Villarruel
Ceremonial roles First Lady of Argentina In role 25 May 2003 – 10 December 2007 President Néstor Kirchner Preceded by Hilda González de Duhalde Succeeded by Néstor Kirchner (as First Gentleman) First Lady of Santa Cruz In role 10 December 1991 – 25 May 2003 Governor Néstor Kirchner Preceded by Marta Arana de García Succeeded by María Gloria Ros de Icazuriaga First Lady of Río Gallegos In role 10 December 1987 – 10 December 1991 Intendant Néstor Kirchner Preceded by Sofía Vicic de Ceperníc Succeeded by Eva María Henríquez de Martínez
Parliamentary offices National Senator In office 10 December 2017 – 10 December 2019 Constituency Buenos Aires In office 10 December 2005 – 28 November 2007 Constituency Buenos Aires In office 10 December 2001 – 10 December 2005 Constituency Santa Cruz In office 10 December 1995 – 3 December 1997 Constituency Santa Cruz National Deputy In office 10 December 1997 – 10 December 2001 Constituency Santa Cruz Member of the Constitutional Convention In office 1 May 1994 – 22 August 1994 Constituency Santa Cruz Provincial Deputy of Santa Cruz In office 10 December 1989 – 10 December 1995 Constituency Río Gallegos
Personal details
Born	Cristina Elisabet Fernández (1953-02-19) 19 February 1953 (age 72) La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Political party	Justicialist
Other political affiliations	Front for Victory (2003–2017) Citizen's Unity (2017–2019) Everyone's Front (2019–2023) Union for the Homeland (since 2023)
Spouse	Néstor Kirchner ​ ​ (m. 1975; died 2010)​
Children	2, including Máximo
Alma mater	National University of La Plata
Occupation	Politician lawyer
Signature

Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner (Spanish: [kɾisˈtina eˈlisaβet feɾˈnandes ðe ˈkiɾʃneɾ]; née Fernández; born 19 February 1953), often called CFK, is an Argentine lawyer and politician. She was the President of Argentina from 2007 to 2015. Later, she served as Vice President of Argentina from 2019 to 2023 under President Alberto Fernández. She was also the first lady of Argentina when her husband, Néstor Kirchner, was president from 2003 to 2007.

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was the second woman to become president of Argentina. She was also the first woman to be directly elected to the presidency. She follows a political idea called Peronism and is known as a progressive. Her political style is often called Kirchnerism. Since 2024, she has been the leader of the Justicialist Party, which is a major opposition party in Argentina.

Born in La Plata, Argentina, she studied law at the University of La Plata. After finishing her studies, she moved to Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, with her husband, Néstor Kirchner. She was elected to the local legislature, while her husband became the mayor of Río Gallegos. In 1995, she was elected as a national senator. In 1994, she also helped change the Constitution of Argentina. From 2003 to 2007, she was the first lady after her husband was elected president.

Néstor Kirchner decided not to run for president again in 2007. Instead, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner ran and won the election. During her first term, she faced a big disagreement with farmers over new taxes. She also made some changes like taking control of private pension funds and the energy company YPF back for the government. Argentina had good relationships with other countries in South America. She also continued her husband's work on human rights. Néstor Kirchner passed away in 2010. She was re-elected for a second term in 2011 with a very high percentage of votes. During her second term, she put in place rules for buying and selling foreign money. She left office in 2015 with high approval ratings.

Early Life and Education

Cristina Fernández at age 17, 1970

Cristina Fernández was born on February 19, 1953, in Tolosa, a town near La Plata, in Buenos Aires Province. Her father, Eduardo Fernández, was a bus driver. Her mother, Ofelia Esther Wilhelm, was a union leader. Cristina attended high school at Popular Mercantil and Misericordia schools. Three of her grandparents came from Spain.

She started college at the National University of La Plata. She first studied psychology for a year, then switched to law. In 1973, she met Néstor Kirchner, who was also a student. He introduced her to political discussions. At that time, Argentina was going through big political changes. She became interested in Peronism, a type of left-wing politics, and ideas against imperialism. Cristina and Néstor got married on May 9, 1975.

They moved to Río Gallegos, Néstor's hometown, after he graduated in 1976. Cristina finished her law studies there through distance learning. She registered to work as a lawyer in Santa Cruz in 1980. She also worked for the Justicialist Party in 1983. Judges have confirmed that she has a law degree.

In 1979, Cristina joined the law firm that Néstor started. Their firm helped banks and financial groups with legal cases. The Kirchners also bought some land at low prices.

Political Journey

Starting in Santa Cruz

Cristina Kirchner began her political career in 1989. She was elected as a deputy for the local legislature in Santa Cruz. The Justicialist Party (PJ), led by Carlos Menem, won the national election that year. For a few days in 1990, she served as the temporary governor of Santa Cruz.

In 1991, she helped Néstor organize his campaign when he was elected governor of Santa Cruz. In 1994, she was part of the group that updated the Constitution of Argentina.

Becoming a National Senator

In 1995, Cristina was elected as a national senator. She sometimes disagreed with new laws proposed by President Menem. For example, she opposed a treaty with Chile about a border dispute. She also spoke out against the Minister of Defense during a scandal. This made her known as someone who wasn't afraid to challenge others. In 1997, she left her senator seat and ran for national deputy instead.

After Menem's term ended in 1999, she worked on a group investigating financial issues. She ran for senator again in 2001.

First Lady and Senator for Buenos Aires

When Néstor Kirchner became president in 2003, Cristina became the First Lady. She took a less public role in Congress. In 2005, she ran for senator in Buenos Aires Province against the wife of the former president, Eduardo Duhalde. Cristina won this election.

Running for President

2007 Presidential Election

First Lady Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (right) campaigning alongside her husband, Néstor Kirchner in 2007.

The presidential election was held on October 28, 2007. Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was leading in all the polls. To win in the first round, a candidate needs more than 45% of the votes, or 40% with a lead of over 10% points. She won with just over 45% of the votes. Her closest opponent, Elisa Carrió, got 23%.

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was popular among working-class people in the suburbs and poor people in rural areas. She lost in big cities like Buenos Aires and Rosario. On November 14, she announced her new team of ministers. They started their jobs on December 10. Many of them had worked with her husband, which meant his policies would likely continue.

She started her four-year term on December 10, 2007. She faced challenges like rising prices, safety concerns, and issues with energy. Farmers were also protesting new taxes. Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was the second woman to be president of Argentina. However, unlike Isabel Perón, Cristina was directly elected by the people. This was also the first time a democratic leader was replaced by their spouse without either of them passing away. Néstor Kirchner remained very influential during her time as president.

2011 Presidential Election

After Néstor Kirchner passed away in 2010, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's popularity was low. But on June 21, 2011, she announced she would run for a second term. A few days later, she chose her economic minister, Amado Boudou, to be her vice president. She also picked many young members of the Cámpora group to run for Congress.

The elections took place on October 23. She was re-elected with 54% of the votes. This was the largest victory percentage in national elections since 1983. Her party also won many governor elections and got a majority in both parts of Congress again. During the celebrations, she invited children onto the stage.

Her Time as President (2007–2015)

Economic Changes

Fernández de Kirchner with minister of economy Axel Kicillof

When Cristina Kirchner became president, she changed the minister of economy. The new minister, Martín Lousteau, tried to increase taxes on farm exports. This caused a big conflict with farmers and led to protests. The taxes were not increased, and Lousteau resigned.

To get money for debt payments, the government took control of private pension funds. This meant the government would manage people's retirement savings. The president said this was to protect people during a financial crisis. Some people criticized this, saying it threatened property rights.

In 2010, she created a special fund to pay off debts using money from the country's foreign reserves. The head of the Central Bank, Martín Redrado, refused to do this and was fired. He was replaced by Mercedes Marcó del Pont.

To help people in need, the government started the Universal Child Allowance in 2009. This program gave money to parents who were unemployed or worked in unofficial jobs. Reports show this program helped reduce poverty.

After being re-elected in 2011, Hernán Lorenzino became the new minister of economy. The government put in place currency controls. This limited how much foreign money, especially US dollars, people could buy or sell. Many Argentines saved money in dollars to protect against rising prices. The government believed these controls would stop money from leaving the country and prevent tax evasion.

They also started a period of financial changes, including some tax increases. However, a major union leader, Hugo Moyano, who had supported Kirchner, began to oppose her.

Axel Kicillof became minister in 2013. He helped arrange payments for the country's debt. In 2014, Argentina's currency, the peso, lost value. Kicillof blamed financial speculation and "vulture funds" from the United States. At a United Nations meeting in 2014, she called these funds "economic terrorists."

Energy Decisions

Fernández de Kirchner announces the bill to renationalize YPF

For many years, prices for public services like electricity and gas were kept low by the government. As prices rose, the government paid part of the cost through subsidies. This led to less investment in energy, and Argentina had to start importing energy instead of producing enough for itself.

In 2012, she suggested slowly removing these subsidies, but this idea was not popular. Instead, she proposed taking back control of the energy company YPF, which had been privatized in 1993. She blamed the Spanish company Repsol for Argentina having to import energy. Congress approved this plan. Some people criticized it, saying there was no negotiation with Repsol.

Disagreement with Farmers

Road blockade during the 2008 Argentine government conflict with the agricultural sector in Villa María, Córdoba

In March 2008, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner introduced a new tax system for farm exports. The tax rates would change based on international prices. This would increase taxes on soybean exports. This new tax plan led to a nationwide protest by farming groups. They wanted the government to change its mind.

Thousands of people joined demonstrations in cities, banging pots and pans. There were also road blockades, which caused food shortages. The government said the new taxes would help share wealth more fairly and keep food prices down. They also claimed farmers were trying to overthrow the government. Farmers argued that the high taxes made it impossible to make a living.

The minister who proposed the taxes resigned. Even though her party had a majority in Congress, many lawmakers from farming regions opposed the bill. The vote in the Senate ended in a tie. The vice president, Julio Cobos, had to cast the deciding vote. He voted against the bill, and it was rejected. This caused a difficult relationship between Cobos and Cristina Kirchner, but he finished his term as vice president.

Other Protests During Her Presidency

200,000 people took part in a cacerolazo against Fernández de Kirchner

After Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was re-elected in 2011, some of her supporters wanted to change the Constitution to allow presidents to be re-elected indefinitely. She didn't openly support or reject this idea. However, her party didn't have enough votes in Congress to make this change. Many people in society were against it.

The first large protest, called a cacerolazo (where people bang pots and pans), happened in September 2012. It was organized by people using social networks, not by politicians. Many people showed up, which surprised everyone. They protested against various issues, including rising crime rates and the strict currency controls. She said she would continue her work as before.

A bigger protest took place two months later, with nearly half a million people. They protested similar issues, plus rising prices and reports of corruption. She promised to keep her policies the same.

In April 2013, Buenos Aires and La Plata suffered floods that caused many deaths. A week later, Fernández de Kirchner proposed changes to the Argentine justice system. Some of these changes were controversial, as opponents felt they would give the government too much control over judges.

In 2015, a prosecutor named Alberto Nisman, who was investigating a 1994 bombing, accused Fernández de Kirchner of trying to cover up the attack. He was found dead in his home the day before he was supposed to explain his accusation to Congress. This caused a huge controversy. A large silent protest took place a month after his death, with an estimated 400,000 people attending.

Human Rights Work

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner with the Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo

During her presidency, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner continued the trials of military officers involved in the Dirty War. More than 500 people were found guilty in these cases.

Another important investigation looked into the children of pregnant women who disappeared during the Dirty War. These children were given up for adoption by the military. About 500 children were thought to be involved. The government proposed a law to make DNA testing mandatory for suspected victims. This was popular with many people, but some critics said it violated privacy rights.

Relationship with the Media

Kirchner holding a copy of Clarín

The government took control of football broadcasting and filled it with pro-government ads. However, the country's largest newspaper, Clarín, was not aligned with the government.

The government launched a campaign against Clarín Group, which included many legal actions. They also used state advertising to benefit media that supported the government. The government tried to enforce a media law that would make Clarín Group sell most of its businesses. Critics said this law was mainly used to target Clarín. The conflict led to disagreements with the justice system.

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner believes that journalists are never fully objective and always act for certain interests. She also said that holding press conferences was not important for her government.

After Her Presidency

Fernández de Kirchner with then-Buenos Aires Mayor and successor Mauricio Macri in 2014

Mauricio Macri was elected president in 2015, defeating the candidate supported by Kirchner. During the changeover, Macri said that Fernández de Kirchner was making things difficult. She changed the 2016 budget, increasing spending in some areas. Many officials from her government refused to leave their jobs. Even the handover ceremony was controversial, as she did not attend it. This was the first time since 1983 that an outgoing president did not hand over power to the new one.

In 2016, she started a think tank called Patria Institute to organize her activities after leaving the presidency. She also wrote a book called Sinceramente, published in 2019.

Running for Senator Again

In the 2017 midterm elections, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner ran for senator for Buenos Aires Province. She lost the general election, but still became a senator. This is because of how Senate elections work in Argentina: the party with the most votes gets two seats, and the second-place party gets one.

Becoming Vice President

Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (right) alongside President Alberto Fernández (left) in 2021.

On October 27, 2019, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was elected vice president. This made her the first former head of state to become vice president of Argentina. She was the running mate of Alberto Fernández (who is not related to her), who became president. She left the Senate on November 27, 2019, to become vice president.

Public Image

Cristina Kirchner is often seen as a populist leader. Some critics say she built a system of government communication called Relato K.

Some people believe this system praised the government too much and blamed others for problems. They say it divided people into two groups: "the people" and "those against the people." The Kirchners were presented as saviors of "the people." This idea was used to justify their actions and to criticize those who disagreed with them.

Personal Life

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in presidential regalia posing with her children, Máximo and Florencia (2011)

In 1973, while studying at the National University of La Plata, she met Néstor Kirchner. They got married on May 9, 1975. They had two children: Máximo (born 1977), who is now a national deputy, and Florencia (born 1990).

Néstor Kirchner passed away on October 27, 2010, after a heart attack. After his death, she wore black clothes for more than three years.

Health

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's health became a public topic in 2005. A magazine reported she might have bipolar disorder. Later, a journalist investigated and found that she had been treated by a specialist for a short time. Some people think her strong statements and times when she stayed out of public view might be related to this.

In 2011, it was announced that she had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She had surgery in January 2012. After the operation, doctors found that she did not have cancer after all. In October 2013, doctors found blood on her brain from an injury she had in 2012. She had successful surgery to remove the blood.

On November 4, 2021, she was admitted to the hospital for a uterine polyp and had a successful surgery. She was discharged a few days later.

Electoral History

Executive Roles

Legislative Roles

Awards and Honors

Coat of arms of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as a member of Order of Isabella the Catholic

Honors from Other Countries

•  Brazil: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross. (2015)
•  Ecuador: Manuela Sánchez Award from the National Assembly of Ecuador.
•  Palestine: Star of Palestine. (August 12, 2015)
•  Peru: Grand Cross with Diamonds of the Order of the Sun of Peru. (March 22, 2010)
•  Spain: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. (February 11, 2009)

Honorary Degrees

• Honorary Doctorate from the National University of La Plata.
• Honorary Doctorate from the National University of Quilmes.

Images for kids

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  Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's signature

See also

In Spanish: Cristina Fernández de Kirchner para niños