Margarita Papandreou dies at the age of 103

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW

Margarita Papandreou passed away this morningat the age of 103. The mother of former Prime Minister George Papandreou passed away peacefully at home. In recent years, she had suffered from poor health. Details about her funeral and burial will be announced in the coming hours.

Margaret Papandreou Chad was born in Oak Park, Illinois, USA, on September 30, 1923. She initially studied journalism and then did her master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Minnesota, where she met her future husband, Andreas Papandreou, in 1947. They lived first in Minnesota and later in California, where Andreas Papandreou was Chairman of the Department of Economics at the University of Berkeley. They were married in a civil ceremony on August 30, 1951. She was the second wife of Andreas Papandreou from 1951 to 1989.

With Andreas Papandreou, they had four children, Giorgos, Sofia, Nikos and Andrikos Papandreou.

She settled in Greece in 1961 and experienced Andreas’ political action from the beginning, the victory of the Center Union in 1964 and the Julian Revolution. After the imposition of the junta of the colonels, Margarita Papandreou effectively mobilized to secure the release of her husband in December 1967, with whom they subsequently settled initially in Stockholm, Sweden and later in Toronto, Canada.

She returned permanently to Greece with Andreas in 1974 and was active from the beginning in PASOK with significant work in the fight for women’s rights, as she played a leading role in promoting, drafting and passing laws that greatly improved the legal and social position of Greek women, such as the abolition of the dowry system (1982), the legalization of abortion (1986), the establishment of civil marriage (1982), the legalization of divorces by mutual consent, the possibility of women keeping their last name after marriage and the acquisition of equal rights with their husbands in the custody of their children.

She founded and served for eight years as president of the Greek Women’s Union (EGU). She took an active part in women’s and peace issues. She is also the author of many articles and books.

She celebrated her 102nd birthday in September 2025. Her son, George Papandreou, had published a photo of her at the time, accompanying it with public wishes.

Source: skai.gr

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.