PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“On behalf of the PES, I send my deepest condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Fofi Gennimata. Her life and political career were marked by strong socialist principles, and she was a highly respected member of the PES family. She was a strong leader who brought progressive forces together to advance the cause of a fairer society.
“A committed European who fought tirelessly for a fairer Greece, Fofi Gennimata always took an active role in guiding the future of socialism and social democracy in Europe. Her insight and leadership will be sadly missed by the PES. Her legacy will not be forgotten.”
For decades Fofi Gennimata was a highly important figure within the centre-left in Greece. She was elected President of PES member party PASOK in 2015, and President of Movement for Change – a coalition of centre-left parties in Greece – in 2017. She leaves behind a legacy of dedicated public service.
A former Member of the Hellenic Parliament for Athens, she served among others as Deputy Minister of Interior, as Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare, as an Alternate Minister of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs, and as President of the Super-Prefecture of Athens and Piraeus. She was also the first woman to serve in the political leadership of the armed forces, as Deputy Minister of Defence.
As an important member of the PES political family, Fofi Gennimata was an active participant at high-level PES events. Most recently, she took part in the PES EU-Western Balkans Summit held in Ljubljana at the beginning of this month.
Fofi Gennimata died in hospital yesterday after being admitted on 11 October.
