Women's Rights: Marika Botsi, the First Woman Mayor in Greece (c. 1944)

This was originally printed in the GREEK NEWS AGENDA - March 8, 2013

Women's Rights:  Marika Botsi, the First Woman Mayor

Although women in Greece did not get the right to vote in national elections until 1952, they were granted the right to vote in local elections in 1934.  This first timid participation (only about 12,000 voted), eventually led to the first woman holding office in modern Greek history:  Marika Botsi.

Born in 1904, she received a degree in Pharmaceutics from the Athens University, founded the first Women Scientists' Organization, and returned to her native Amaliada, where she opened a pharmacy.  Following the liberation of Amaliada from Nazi occupation, in 1944, Marika Botsi was appointed mayor, thus becoming the first female mayor in Greece.