Irina Karamanos refuses to be first lady as husband elected Chile’s new president

·

A leftist millennial who rose to prominence during anti-government protests has been elected Chile’s next president.

With 56 per cent of the votes, Gabriel Boric on Sunday (Monday AEDT) handily defeated by more than 10 points lawmaker José Antonio Kast.

At 35, Mr Boric will become Chile’s youngest modern president when he takes office in March and only the second millennial to lead in Latin America, after El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele.

While Gabriel Boric was elected president, his wife, Irina Karamanos, may not take on the role as first lady.

Speaking before the election, she announced that she could resign her role as first lady if her partner was elected.

Gabriel Boric and Irina Karamanos.

Irina, as Boric tells her now -before he used to call her “companion” – declared: “It is a position that deserves to be rethought because we are in different times, a lot of things have changed and you have to rethink power and the relationships that emerge from it ”.

The new president supports Karamanos with his position, and was even more forceful than his partner. The referent of Approve Dignity – the coalition that brings together the Frente Amplio and Chile Digno – said that it would suppress the figure of the first lady because “it does not make any sense.”

“There can be no positions in the State that have to do with or are related to the relationship of the President”declared the 35-year-old leader, who stressed: “We must create an instance that is transparent, depending on merits and of civil service careers, and not of blood ties or affinity with the President ”.

Karamanos would not be the first Latin American woman to resign. In Mexico, Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller took off the title of first lady when her husband, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, became president in 2018.

Karamanos is 32 years old, is of Greek descent and studied Anthropology and Communication Sciences in Germany. 

Source: AP with Market Research Telecast.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Greek and French leaders discuss defence and AI at Paris talks

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, February 10 to discuss defence and AI.

Locals who stayed behind pray for relief amid Santorini’s ongoing tremors

Residents who are yet to flee from Santorini held a religious procession on Sunday, February 9 to pray for the seismic activity to stop.

Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney unites generations at vibrant Ypapanti Dance

The Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney held its second inter-generational Ypapanti Dance in traditional paniyiri style at the Greek Community Club.

Greek Glendi shines at Canberra’s National Multicultural Festival

Canberra came alive with the sights, sounds and flavours of Greece over the weekend as the National Multicultural Festival took place.

Cousins Danielle and Vicki Vlahos battle over $800k loans and fashion label

Two cousins, Danielle and Vicki Vlahos, who founded the $7 million fashion label Portia & Scarlett, are embroiled in a legal battle.

You May Also Like

Cumberland Councillor Steve Christou enters race for Parramatta Federal seat

Cumberland Councillor, Steve Christou, will be standing for the Federal Seat of Parramatta in the upcoming election as an Independent.

Cheong Liew: From accidental grill chef at ‘The Iliad’ to Australia’s culinary icon

He speaks passionately about the use of lemon and olive oil like a Greek would do. But Cheong Liew’s relationship with the Greek cuisine is a deeper one.

Artist Anastasia Bekos on wanting to leave a legacy about the Greek migrant experience

Self-taught artist, Anastasia Bekos, tells TGH how her vibrant paintings are a legacy to the difficulties and rewards of the Greek migrant experience.