G8 summit: Who’s on the guest list

United States: Barack and Michelle Obama

While President Obama hosts the G8 meetings at Camp David, his wife Michelle
will host the foreign leaders’ spouses in Washington DC and in her home town
of Chicago. As the politicians gather for their first meeting, the first
lady will treat their wives (and one husband) to a tour of the White House
before a meal prepared with produce from the White House kitchen garden.

Russia: Dmitry and Svetlana Medvedev

Recently re-inaugurated Russian president Vladimir Putin dropped out of the
summit at the last moment, despite Obama apparently having already once
moved the dates to suit him. Instead he will send his second in command –
and former president – Dmitry Medvedev in his place. Medvedev will travel
with his wife Svetlana, his childhood sweetheart.

United Kingdom: David and Samantha Cameron

The Camerons have only recently returned from a successful trip to the White
House in March, where the American president and the British Prime Minister
enjoyed a ‘lads’ night’ at the basketball and the first ladies together
hosted a mini-Olympics event for children. The US ambassador to London has
said that the two women enjoy a “very, very warm” relationship.

France: François Hollande and Valerie Trierweiler

New French president François Hollande will make his G8 debut after narrowly
defeating Nicolas Sarkozy in the French elections earlier this month. He and
his partner Valerie Trierweiler are the first unmarried couple to occupy the
presidential Elysee Palace. She is a former political journalist, who claims
that Hollande does the shopping and cooking.

Italy: Mario and Elsa Monti

It will also be a first appearance at the G8 for Mario Monti, an economist and
former EU commissioner, who succeeded Silvio Berlusconi to become prime
minister of Italy in November last year. The mild-mannered Monti and his
wife of 30 years, the equally reserved Elsa Antonioli, will be quite a
contrast to the colourful Berlusoni.

Canada: Stephen and Laureen Harper

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been in power since January 2006.
His wife Laureen has led an active public life, and regularly campaigns on
her husbands behalf. Leaked US Embassy cables from 2009 described her as “the
self-confessed ‘mouthy one'” who is “a pro at working a room”.

Germany: Angela Merkel and Joachim Sauer

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s publicity-shy husband Joachim Sauer will be
the only first man among the first ladies. The professor of theoretical
chemistry never speaks to the media, and only rarely appears in public – he
even dodged her inauguration. German newspapers have described him as “invisible
as a molecule”, noting that his surname means ‘sour’ or ‘angry’.

Japan: Yoshihiko and Hitoma Noda

Japanese PM Yoshihiko Noda came into power on August 2011, after serving as
finance minister. He is Japan’s sixth prime minister in only five years. His
wife Hitomi has been firmly by his side since the 1980s, bringing up his two
teenage children and caring for Noda’s 80-year-old father after he suffered
from a stroke.

The European Union is also represented by the presidents of the
European Commission and the European Council, José Manuel Barroso and Herman
Van Rompuy.

Also in attendance will be a number of leaders from other international
bodies, who are traditionally invited to take part in some, but not all, of
the meetings. They include President of the African Development Bank,
Donald Kaberuka.

Four African leaders have been invited to discuss food security at an outreach
working lunch on Saturday: President John Evans Atta Mills of Ghana,
President Yayi Boni of Benin – also the Chairperson of the African
Union – Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and President Jakaya
Kikwete of Tanzania.

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