Greece gets first woman caretaker Prime Minister

(Vatican Radio) The Greeks woke up to another milestone in their history this morning – the country’s first-ever woman prime minister getting down to her first day on the job.

Listen to John Carr's report

Vasiliki Thanou, 65, a supreme court chief justice, was sworn in here in Athens last night.  Her post is a purely non-political one, as head of a service administration that will keep the wheels of government turning until national elections in four weeks’ time.

Mrs Thanou’s caretaker cabinet, to be sworn in today, includes academics and retired diplomats, plus a popular singer.  Greece’s president, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, appointed her after failing to get a workable government together following Alexis Tsipras’s resignation as prime minister last week.

Tsipras himself is now free to seek re-election, probably on 20 September, at the head of a chastened Syriza party.  He’s now rid of his militant left faction that has split to form a separate party that will also contest the election.

Mrs Thanou has a reputation as an outspoken advocate of judicial independence.  Her appointment as Greece’s first woman head of government, even if only in a provisional capacity, so far has met with general approval.