Panagiotis Kouroumblis

Panagiotis Kouroumblis (Greek: Παναγιώτης Κουρουμπλής; born 2 October 1951) is a Greek politician of Syriza. On 27 January 2015 he was appointed the Minister for Health and Social Solidarity in the First Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras.[1] On 23 September 2015, he became the Minister of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction in the Second Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras.

Panagiotis Kouroumblis
MP
Παναγιώτης Κουρουμπλής
Minister of Shipping and Island Policy
In office
5 November 2016 – 28 August 2018
Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras
Preceded byThodoris Dritsas
Succeeded byFotis Kouvelis
Minister of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction
In office
23 September 2015 – 5 November 2016
Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras
Preceded byAntonis Manitakis
Succeeded byPanos Skourletis
Minister for Health and Social Security
In office
27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015
Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras
Preceded byMakis Voridis
Succeeded byAthanasios Dimopoulos
Personal details
Born (1951-10-02) 2 October 1951
Matsouki, Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece
Political partySYRIZA (2012–present)
Unitary Front (2011–2012)
PASOK (2009–2011)
SpouseEleni Kotsopoulou
ChildrenTwo (Katerina, Lefteris)
ProfessionLawyer

Early life

Blinded at age 10 from the explosion of a German hand-grenade, a remnant of World War II, Kouroumblis took part in a number of student campaigns, and eventually became the leader of a "social uprising" of the blind. He is a founding member of the World Blind Union and worked more generally in the areas of children protection, care for the elderly and people with disabilities.[2]

Political career

In 1996 parliamentary election, Kouroumblis became the first blind Member of the Hellenic Parliament.[2] He was reelected in 2000 and again in 2009. In 2011, he left Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) to found the anti-austerity Unitary Movement that in 2013 ultimately merged into Syriza.

Following Syriza's victory in the January 2015 legislative election, he was appointed Minister for Health and Social Solidarity, becoming the first disabled person to take any public office at the national government level in Greece.[1]

References
  1. Smith, Helena; Ian Traynor (27 January 2015). "Greek PM Alexis Tsipras unveils cabinet of mavericks and visionaries". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  2. "Panagiotis Kouroumplis". Hellenic Parliament. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
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