Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner (; born 19 February 1953), commonly known as
Cristina Fernández or
Cristina Kirchner, is the 55th and current
President of Argentina and the widow of former President
Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected
female President, and the second female President ever to serve (after
Isabel Martínez de Perón, 1974–1976). A
Justicialist, Fernández served one term as
National Deputy and three terms as
National Senator for both
Santa Cruz and
Buenos Aires Provinces.
A native of
La Plata,
Buenos Aires, Fernández is a graduate of the
National University of La Plata. She met her husband during her studies, and they moved to
Santa Cruz to work as lawyers. In May 1991, she was elected to the provincial legislature. Between 1995 and 2007, she was repeatedly elected to the
Argentine National Congress, both as a National Deputy and National Senator. During Kirchner's presidency (2003–2007) she acted as
First Lady. Fernández was chosen as the
Front for Victory presidential candidate in 2007. In the
October 2007 general election she obtained 45.3% of the vote and a 22% lead over her nearest rival, avoiding the need for a runoff. She was inaugurated on December 10, 2007. As a First Lady, and later
President, she has become a
fashion icon for women, a notable advocate for
human......
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