8 April 2007: Nikitas Kaklamanis, a medical doctor, former European parliamentarian and government minister, became Athens’ 50th mayor at the beginning of 2007. The new mayor has the unenviable task to follow in the footsteps of Greece’s internationally best-known politician Dora Bakoyannis, who, during her term of office, transformed the city ahead of the Athens 2004 Olympics and, consequently, won the World Mayor Award in 2005. However, Mr Kaklamanis is as determined as his illustrious predecessor to show that being Mayor of Athens brings with it international responsibilities. Three weeks after taking office, he joined the mayors of Rome and Paris to call for a worldwide abolition of the death penalty.

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Nikitas Kaklamanis was born on the Cycladic island of Andros in 1946. He graduated from the University of Athens Medical School in 1971 and specialized in radiotherapy and oncology. In 1981 he received his doctorate from the Athens Medical School and in 1989 was unanimously elected Assistant Professor of Radiotherapy for the School. He has undertaken extensive scientific and research work and is a member of several scientific organizations.

From 1975 to 1989 he was consistently elected to head medical doctors’ unions. In 1987 he was elected General Secretary of the Pan Hellenic Medical Association, for a second time, with an unprecedented 93% of the vote.

In 1986 he was voted in as a member of New Democracy party’s Central Committee and in 1987 he entered the party’s Executive Committee.

Mr. Kaklamanis was first elected as MP for New Democracy in 1990, winning the Athens A constituency. In the October 1993 elections he retained his parliamentary seat and in June 1994 joined the European Parliament, with the Political Spring party.

During his term in the European Parliament, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and as member of the Committee on Budgets. Additionally, he was a member of the European Parliament’s delegations to the EU - Turkey and Cyprus joint parliamentary Committees.

In the 2000 national elections Mr. Kaklamanis was elected MP for the Athens A constituency with New Democracy and assumed the post of “shadow minister” for the party’s Health and Welfare Section.  On July 11, 2001 he was elected Parliamentary Coordinator of the party’s Standing Committee for Social Affairs.

In the 2004 national elections Mr. Kaklamanis was re-elected MP for the Athens A constituency with New Democracy. In March 2004 he was named Minister of Health and Social Solidarity, a post he served until February 2006.

Mr. Kaklamanis was elected as the 50th Mayor of Athens, with the municipal ticket “Athens, the City of our Life” on October 15, 2006 and assumed his Mayoral duties in January 2007.   

Mr. Kaklamanis speaks English and French.