Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou
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| Βασιλική Θάνου-Χριστοφίλου | |
Thanou-Christophilou in 2015
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| Prime Minister of Greece | |
| In office 27 August 2015 – 21 September 2015 |
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| President | Prokopis Pavlopoulos |
| Preceded by | Alexis Tsipras |
| Succeeded by | Alexis Tsipras |
| Court of Cassation | |
| 2014–2015 | Vice President |
| 2015–2017 | President |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 November 1950 Chalcis, Greece |
| Political party | Independent |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Athens Panthéon-Assas University |
Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou (born 3 November 1950), also known as Vasiliki Thanou, is a Greek judge. She made history by becoming the first-ever female prime minister of Greece. She served as a caretaker prime minister from 27 August to 21 September 2015. This happened just before a new election was held in September 2015.
Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou also served as the President of the Court of Cassation. This is one of Greece's three highest courts. She held this important role from 2015 to 2017. She is known for teaching civil law at the National School of Judges of Greece. Since 2012, she has also been the president of the Greek Association of Judges and Prosecutors.
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Early Life and Education
Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou was born in a city called Chalcis in Greece. She studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. After that, she continued her studies in European law at Panthéon-Assas University in France.
Judicial Career and Public Service
Starting as a Judge
Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou began her career in the legal system in 1975. She steadily moved up through different roles. In 1992, she became the president of the Court of First Instance. Later, in 1996, she became an appellate judge. By 2005, she was the president of the Appeals Court. In 2008, she joined the Court of Cassation. This is one of the three highest courts in Greece.
Since 2009, she has shared her knowledge by teaching civil law at the National School of Judges in Greece. She has also led the Greek Association of Judges and Prosecutors (SAD) since 2012. In 2014, she became the vice president of the Court of Cassation.
On 1 July 2015, she became the president of the Court of Cassation. This made her the 42nd president of this court since 1835. She was also only the second woman to hold this position. Because of her high rank, she also became the president of the Supreme Electoral Court. This court handles important election matters.
Becoming Prime Minister of Greece
On 20 August 2015, the prime minister at the time, Alexis Tsipras, resigned. He asked for a temporary government to be formed until a new election could be held. The election was set for 20 September.
According to the Constitution of Greece, when a prime minister resigns before an election, the president must appoint a temporary leader. This leader must be the president of one of Greece's three highest courts. Since Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou was the only sitting president of a supreme court, she was chosen for the role.
On 27 August, the President of Greece, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, officially announced that he would appoint Thanou-Christophilou as prime minister. Her temporary government was sworn in on 28 August. She served as prime minister until the election on 20 September. This made her Greece's first-ever female prime minister. At her swearing-in, she said her government's main job was to hold fair and smooth elections.
During her time as prime minister, she dealt with the European migrant crisis. She met with EU officials to discuss this important issue. Her term ended on 21 September, after Alexis Tsipras was appointed prime minister again following the election.
Later Judicial Work
After her time as prime minister, Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou continued her work as a judge. She attended important events, like the 66th anniversary of the National Day of the People's Republic of China.
In her later judicial career, she continued to be a respected figure in the Greek legal system. She stepped down from leading an investigation into a prosecutor's decision to protect the judiciary's standing. This showed her commitment to fairness and trust in the legal system.
Personal Life
Vasiliki Thanou-Christophilou is married and has three children. She is fluent in Greek, French, and English.
See also
In Spanish: Vasilikí Thánou para niños
- Caretaker Cabinet of Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou
