Sadness spreads across the political world with news of the death of Anna Benaki-Psarouda, at the age of 92. She leaves behind a rich legacy, while her professional career was distinguished by significant milestones and achievements. She was the first woman Speaker of Parliament and the first woman to serve as President of the Academy of Athens, while also being an Emeritus Professor of Criminal Law at the Athens Law School.
Anna Benaki-Psarouda: Her work and career
Anna Benaki-Psarouda was born in Athens. She was the daughter of Admiral Evangelos Psarouda and wife of Philosophy Historian Linos G. Benakis.
She attended the American College for Girls in Hellinikon and studied at the Law School of the University of Athens, from where she received her Law degree (1957). She pursued postgraduate studies at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne and received her doctoral degree in Criminal Law (1961) from the University of Bonn. For long periods, she worked as a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for International and Foreign Criminal Law in Freiburg, Germany, becoming one of its collaborators. The fruit of this research was her habilitation thesis (1971) and her other scientific works.
She progressed through the entire university hierarchy at Athens Law School (Assistant, Lecturer, Associate Professor, Professor, 1962-2001) and taught Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. Under her guidance in Greece and Germany, many young scientists, who are university professors today, wrote their dissertations.
She entered politics in 1981 as a New Democracy state MP and remained an MP for Athens First Constituency for 28 years, being continuously elected until September 2009. She served as Deputy Minister of Education (1989), Minister of Culture (1990-92), Minister of Justice (1992-93) and Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament (2004-2007). She was the rapporteur for important bills and actively participated in Constitutional Revisions. As Speaker of Parliament, she promoted parliamentary diplomacy, officially visiting Parliaments of European Union countries, Asia (Jordan, China, Japan), Africa (Egypt, Tunisia), South America (Chile), particularly in relation to the Greek diaspora, and reciprocating with similar invitations to Greece.
She had collaborated with International Organizations, represented the Greek Parliament during the drafting of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and participated in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
From 1976 she directed the journal “CRIMINAL CHRONICLES,” the oldest and most authoritative journal serving Criminal Sciences and judicial practice in Greece, contributing herself with articles and comments on the approach of criminal theory and practice.
She was a lawyer in Athens handling criminal cases from 1962-2008.
She had written many books, articles, etc. on Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure as well as political texts.
On April 29, 2010, she was elected as a full member of the Academy of Athens in the Chair of Criminal Law.
Message from Nikitas Kaklamanis
A condolence message for her loss was sent by Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis in a statement in which he mentions:
“With deep sorrow and particular emotion I bid farewell today to Anna Psarouda – Benaki.
Anna was not only an outstanding political personality of post-transition Greece. She was a rare woman with strong intellectual constitution, deep legal training and unwavering commitment to democratic institutions.
For me she was also a friend. A person with straightforward speech, clear thinking and authentic nobility.
As the first woman Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, she opened paths at a time when institutions were tested by mistrust and devaluation. She served Parliament with prestige, seriousness and deep awareness of the historical responsibility that the office entails. Her presence in the Parliament Presidency was substantial and decisive for strengthening institutional function and parliamentary ethos.
A distinguished lawyer and academic, with studies in Germany, she served the science of Criminal Law with consistency and depth. As Minister of Justice and Minister of Culture, but also as President of the Academy of Athens, she proved that public service can combine knowledge, sensitivity and a high sense of duty.
Anna Psarouda – Benaki now belongs to the History of this country. She left behind a distinctive and bright imprint. An imprint of ethics, institutional commitment and selfless service.
I bid farewell to a friend and a great lady of politics and science with respect and gratitude.
To her family and loved ones I express my sincere and warm condolences.”
