Presidents and prime ministers of all countries. Women are current heads of state

List of women holding the most powerful positions in politics. Seven out of ten current female heads of state became the first female presidents in the history of their countries, and they did so only recently.

Heads of State

Bidhya Devi Bhandari - Nepal

Nepal's first female president is only in her third year in office. Bidhya Devi was able to complete school, while girls of her generation did not have the opportunity to study. From her youth she was interested in politics. Bidhya participated in demonstrations against the king's rule, and after the overthrow of the monarchy in 2006, she was elected to a provisional parliament. That same year, a bill proposed by Bhandari was passed, according to which, for the first time in the history of Nepal, women received a quota of 33% of the seats in parliament, as well as the right to inherit the property of their parents and the right for a child to inherit the mother's citizenship.

Halima Jacob - Singapore

In 2013, Halima became the first female Speaker of Parliament in Singapore's history, and in 2017, the first female President of this country. Halima received the post of head of state automatically after all other candidates were not allowed to participate in the elections due to non-compliance with the requirements. Her career did not stop Halima Yacob from getting married and having five children.

Queen Elizabeth II - Great Britain

This woman doesn’t need a long introduction. It is enough to note that she reigns longer than any monarch in British history. At the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, we were once again convinced that Elizabeth is holding up well at 92. If you want to learn more about the life of Elizabeth and other members of the royal family, watch our selection of films.

Queen Margrethe II - Denmark

Queen Margrethe II has also been on the throne for quite a long time - 46 years. Among her ancestors are Russian princes - the granddaughter of Nicholas I, Anastasia Mikhailovna. Margrethe studied military science and was a recruit in the women's branch of the Air Squadron. Among the Queen's other hobbies is painting. In addition, together with her husband Prince Henrik, she translated several works of Simone de Beauvoir into Danish.

Dalia Grybauskaite - Lithuania

Dalia Grybauskaite was first elected president of Lithuania in 2009 - then she received 69.05% of the votes: a record number for all elections after the collapse of the USSR. In 2014, Grybauskaite was re-elected to a second term. She is the first female president in the history of Lithuania, as well as the first president elected for a second term. Dalia Grybauskaite is 62 years old, has never been married and has no children. But she has a black belt in karate.

Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca - Malta

In 2013, she joined the Maltese government as Minister for Family and Social Solidarity. A year later, the country's prime minister recommended her for the post of president, and she was confirmed in this position. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is the second female president in the history of Malta, but she still managed to break one record: she is the youngest president in the history of the state.

Kersti Kaljulaid - Estonia

Another first female president in the history of her country. Kersti Kaljulaid became head of state in 2016. Last year, American Forbes placed her at number 78 on its list of “100 Most Powerful Women.” Kirsty has four children: a son and daughter from her first marriage and two sons from her second.

Hilda Hein - Marshall Islands

Before becoming president, Hilda Hein was Minister of Education. It is not surprising - Hein is the first person in the Marshall Islands to receive a doctorate degree. In 2016, she became the first female president in the history of the Pacific island nations. True, she was the only candidate for this post. Hilda Hein founded a women's rights group.

Pola-Mae Weeks - Trinidad and Tobago

Weeks was a lawyer and judge on the Turks and Caicos Islands Court of Appeal. In January 2018, she became the first female president in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. Like Hilda Hein, Weeks was the only candidate for head of state during the election.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic - Croatia

We met Kolinda Grabar at the 2018 World Cup. Photos of a woman in a sports T-shirt hugging her country's football players were very popular on the Internet. Grabar was praised for her simplicity, in particular for the fact that she flew to the championship on a regular passenger plane. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is the first female president of Croatia and the most popular politician in this country. She has been head of state since 2015.

Heads of government and governors general

Prime Minister Theresa May - UK

The second woman in British history to head the government. Before being elected Prime Minister, she was Minister for Women and Equalities and Home Secretary. Theresa May is in second place on the Forbes list of the most powerful women of 2017. In 2018, the magazine ranked her 14th on its overall list of the most influential people in the world.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand

Jacinda became the head of the New Zealand government in October 2017. She is the youngest female prime minister in the world. Jacinda Ardenrn gave birth to a daughter in June this year. Ardern supports same-sex marriage, liberalizing abortion and wants to legislate greenhouse gas reductions to combat global warming.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley - Barbados

Mia Mottley became the first woman to head the government of Barbados. She was elected in May 2018. At 29, she was the youngest minister in the country's history - responsible for education, youth policy and culture.

Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel - Germany

It is unlikely that many of us will immediately name the president of Germany, but everyone knows the name of the first and only woman to serve as chancellor in the history of this country. Forbes named Angela Merkel the most powerful female politician in the world 12 times from 2004 to 2017. Time magazine has repeatedly included her in the list of the most influential people on the planet, and in 2015 named her the most powerful leader in Europe.

Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir - Iceland

Before entering politics, she worked as a journalist and taught at a university. Catherine is a feminist and an active participant in the environmental movement.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila - Romania

Viorica Dancila was Deputy of the Committee on Agriculture and member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. On her initiative, women candidates received a quota of 30% in elections to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of Romania.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic - Serbia

Ana Brnabic never belonged to any party. In 2017, after the presidential elections, she became the first woman to head the government. In addition, she is the first in this position to openly declare her homosexual orientation.

Governor General Patsy Reddy - New Zealand

Post-feminist, vegan, equality activist Patsy Reddy became Governor General in 2016. Her appointment was hailed as New Zealand's big step towards gender equality. Patsy actively advocates for gender, ethnic, and cultural diversity in all spheres of society.

Governor General Marguerite Pindling - Bahamas

Marguerite Pindling is the widow of the first Prime Minister of the Bahamas. In 2014, she was appointed governor general of the state.

Governor General Cecile La Grenade - Grenada

Officer of the Order of the British Empire and Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. Since 2013, Cecile La Grenade has been the first woman to serve as governor general in the history of the state.

Governor General Julie Payette - Canada

Payette is an engineer, politician and astronaut. She made her first flight into space at the age of 35, the second - ten years after the first. She is a senior astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency. In July 2017, Elizabeth II appointed Julie Payette as Governor General of Canada.

Governor General Sandra Mason - Barbados

Sandra Mason is one of the ten most influential women in Barbados. Before her appointment as Governor-General in January this year, she was the first woman to serve on the country's Court of Appeal.

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10. Sebastian Pinheira ($2.4 billion)

The incredibly rich but strangely robotic Sebastian Pinheira is at the bottom of our list of billionaires, with a modest $2.4 billion in his pocket. The head of state previously participated in the management of several large companies - Chili Apple, the television company ChiliVision (of which he owned 100% of the shares), and Chilean Airlines - investments in the latter determined most of his future income. In 2010, he graduated to become the Chief Executive of an entire nation after being elected its President, and that same year the country's economy grew by 5.2% - possible proof that money-making extends to the political arena as well? The Chilean “Number One” is currently also at position 488 on the Forbes list of billionaires. If only all his money could do something to make him look less like the Terminator.

9. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani ($2.4 billion)

Sheikh Hamad initially came to power by removing his father from the throne in a bloodless palace coup in 1995. The Emir of Qatar represents his country during state visits and is responsible for coordinating its development in the field of oil and natural gas reserves. The results are clearly visible in his $2.4 billion bank account. A militaristic emir who trained at England's Sandhurst Military Academy, he previously served as his country's Minister of Defense, in which post he led a program of intensive modernization of the Qatari armed forces. He also has three wives and 24 children. Luckily, he has enough money to pay for babysitters!

8. Mohammed VI ($2.5 billion)

Morocco's King Mohammed VI found his billions in the form of his family's financial inheritance and the nation's vast phosphate reserves. As ruler of his own country, he wields powerful executive powers, which he has used to weaken the sacred aura of the monarchy and strengthen the position of the prime minister. He has also introduced some reforms aimed at making the most corrupt parts of government more accountable to the people - although some believe these pro-democracy measures still fall short. Mohammed also has a pretty impressive bank account, with reports saying he's worth $2.5 billion and has the sizable suit to prove it. Some people must just be born lucky.

7. Hans-Adam II ($4 billion)

In addition to being the head of the tiny European state of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II is also one of the richest rulers in the world, and quite simply the richest ruler in Europe. In this, he easily beats more famous monarchs, such as Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Queen Beatrix I of the Netherlands, which is probably quite humiliating for them.

Despite being the heir to a large family fortune as a member of the royal family, Adam has worked hard to earn his money: he not only owns the LGT banking group, but was also put in charge of his family's financial affairs at the age of 27 years old, and has shown such good acumen that today their combined family wealth exceeds $7 billion. In 2004, he formally transferred most of the royal powers to his son, Prince Alois. Let's hope that the guy will show the same class as his daddy.

6. Silvio Berlusconi ($9 billion)

There is a joke that the official measure of political corruption is called "Berlusconi". Shady dealings (Berlusconi has been accused of embezzlement, tax fraud, and bribing judges, among other things) have undoubtedly helped put the Italian leader and entrepreneur ahead of the curve: not only is he officially the fifth richest head of state in the world, but also the longest-serving leader of the Big One. Eight, the owner of the Italian football club Milan - not to mention the investment company that controls the largest Italian private television companies - and the fact that he is constantly seen in the arms of women decades younger than him. If it's bad, then we're not sure we want to be good. See, with a list of transgressions that includes signing laws aimed at slowing down prosecutions of himself, referring to Obama as "tanned," and comparing a German MEP to a Nazi concentration camp guard, it might not be worth $9 billion to be in his shoes. .

5. Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum ($12 billion)

Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum may rank surprisingly low on our list. In 2009, Forbes estimated his wealth at 12 billion, but the ruler of the billionaire playground of Dubai was apparently even richer, worth more than 18 billion. However, when the recession of the late 2000s hit, Sheikh lost a lot of money and was even forced to turn to neighboring Abu Dhabi for help when markets fell. Through his investment company Dubai World, Al Maktoum has control over many corporations such as port operator DP World Ltd and property developer Nakheel Properties, the latter of which helps shape Dubai's landscape, including the famous Palm Jameira man-made archipelago. . His official website calls him "Leader", "Horse Rider", and "Poet". We'd add "stunningly rich Sheikh" to that list.

4. Khalifa bin Zayyad al Nahyan ($15 billion)

The President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi gained his impressive fortune through a combination of real estate investments, inheritance, and oil. Due to his father's poor health, he was forced to act as president even before formally taking office in 2004. He is widely promoted as a pro-Western modernizer by the United States, but has also been described as "aloof and uncharismatic" (according to correspondence published on the Wikileaks website). See, this head of state is also the third richest monarch in the world, with a combined wealth of over $15 billion. Who needs charisma if he owns something like this?

3. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud ($18 billion)

The current King of Saudi Arabia is not exactly the king of this list, appearing only at number three. However, with an impressive family fortune of $18 billion behind him - built on his country's unprecedented oil reserves - he is by no means the poorest of its kind. The former commander-in-chief of the Saudi National Guard has always maintained close relations with the United States, paying frequent state visits to its presidents and expressing support for George W. Bush on the second anniversary of 9/11. He also appears to be a big fan of America's current president, saying "Praise be to Allah for putting Obama in power," according to private emails released by Wikileaks.

2. Hassan al Bolkaya ($20 billion)

The Sultan of Brunei comes in second on our list with a personal fortune of $20 billion. With wealth based on his country's vast oil and natural gas reserves, he has behind him a dynasty that is believed to be perhaps the oldest in existence on the planet. The absolute monarch uses his vast wealth to provide his country's citizens with zero income taxes, free education, and universal healthcare - making it a veritable national health service rolled into one.

1. Bumibol Adulyadesh ($30 billion)

With a net worth of $30 billion as of 2009, King Bumibol Adulyadesh is the richest head of state on the planet. The King of Thailand is revered as a demigod in his own country - where he is considered virtually "untouchable" and any criticism leveled at him could result in a lengthy prison sentence. The king's personal wealth is impressive: he owns large stakes in several private companies - including Sammakorn, SCG, and Thai Insurance PLC - and also has extensive land holdings (although government officials stress that the latter is not included in the calculation of his personal wealth). wealth). In 2008, Forbes estimated Adulyadesh's personal wealth at $35 billion, but declines in the real estate and stock markets lowered that number by $5 billion over the next year. Proof that the king returns some of the love he receives from his people is his donations to various Thai development projects, in areas ranging from agriculture and public health to water supply and social welfare. You see, he doesn't just take.

Bonus: Vladimir Putin ($40 billion)

Former (and very likely future) President Vladimir Putin claims his total wealth is a modest $150,000, but the head of the Russian government is suspected of possessing much greater wealth. Whistleblowers like former government member Ivan Rybkin and political scientist Stanislav Belkovsky claim that the president controls secret assets in oil and gas companies such as Gazprom and Gunvor... up to a value of over $40 billion. These claims have never been confirmed, but if they are true, he is the richest guy on this list, and has certainly earned his place at the very top - even if he got his fortune through more dirty means than fair.

A selection of photographs of world leaders taken during summits over the years.

A friendly embrace between Israeli Prime Minister Begin and US President Carter: The Camp David summit resulted in a meeting between US President Carter and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, in the East Room of the White House. A peace agreement on the Middle East was signed there. (UPI Photo/Darryl Heikes/Files)

Reaction of US President Bill Clinton (right) to the answer given to journalists by Russian President Boris Yeltsin on June 20, 19997, in Denver, Colorado, USA. On June 20, the two met at a dinner for representatives of the G8 countries.

Meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (right) and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi laugh at a press conference they gave after their meeting in the Kremlin, Moscow, November 6, 2008. The leaders of the two countries discussed options for cooperation between Russia and NATO and the EU. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)
450 Friendship of world presidents

Iranian President Ahmadinejad greets Algerian President Bouteflika during an official welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Iran, August 11, 2008. (UPI Photo/Mohammad Kheirkhah)

US President George W. Bush laughs heartily as Gorbachev tries to master the golf cart used for transportation at the Camp David summit on June 2, 1990. (UPI Photo/Files)

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) together with First Deputy Prime Minister and main candidate for the presidency Dmitry Medvedev in the city of Penza (700 km from Moscow) at a sports festival, January 23, 2008. Putin supported Medvedev during the election race until Election Day - March 2, 2008. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)

President Bush greets Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi. Silvio Berlusconi hugs George W. Bush as he addresses the US President's acceptance speech during the official welcoming ceremony, White House, Washington, October 13, 2008. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) and US President George W. Bush raise glasses during a reception in honor of a guest at the White House, Washington, November 6, 2007. (UPI Photo/Aude Guerrucci/POOL)

Meeting between President Obama and the German Chancellor. On November 3, 2009, a meeting between US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel took place in the Oval Office of the White House. (UPI/Olivier Douliery/Pool)

Handshake between Soviet leader Gorbachev and US President Reagan. President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev shake hands after signing the nuclear weapons agreement, December 8, 1987, White House. (UPI/File)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai (left) greets the Iranian president during his visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, March 10, 2010. During that visit, Ahmadinejad said he did not consider the presence of foreign troops to be a solution to conflicts in Afghanistan. (UPI/pool)

G8 summit in L'Aquila. Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso (L) reacts as Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi listens closely to Barack Obama's speech before the G8 meeting in L'Aquila, Italy, July 8, 2009. (UPI Photo/Alex Volgin)

Meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel: Dmitry Medvedev and Angela Merkel walk along the corridor of St. Petersburg State University, October 2, 2008. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak meets with his French counterpart and friend Nicolas Sarkozy: Nicolas Sarkozy (left) greets Hosni Mubarak during a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, February 9, 2009. The two leaders discussed ways to resolve the situation in the Middle East. (UPI Photo/Eco Clement)

George Bush Jr. shakes hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, December 9, 2003. The two leaders discussed economic issues, as well as the situation around the Korean Peninsula. (UPI Photo/Roger L. Wollenberg)

During the official welcoming ceremony in New Delhi, Nicolas Sarkozy (right) greets Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as Indian President Pratibha Patil (middle) looks on, January 25, 2008. Nicolas Sarkozy was scheduled for a two-day visit to strengthening relations between the two countries, including economically, against the backdrop of a rapidly prospering Asian economy. (UPI Photo)

Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin talk before photographing participants at the G8 summit, Germany, June 7, 2007. The summit was held from June 6 to 8 in the resort town of Heiligendamm. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (L) hugs French President Nicolas Sarkozy before both attend a news conference in London March 12, 2010. (UPI/Hugo Philpott)

Dmitry Medvedev and his colleague Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at a press conference after their meeting at the country residence of the Russian president, September 10, 2009. Chavez said that his country accepts the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which seceded from Georgia. (UPI/Anatoli Zhdanov)

Nicolas Sarkozy (left) greets Angela Merkel during her official visit to the Elysee Palace in Paris, December 6, 2007. After some differences in views, Paris and Berlin have reached agreement on many issues. (UPI Photo/Eco Clement)

Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China at the “BRIC summit”. (from left to right) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pose for journalists before the start of the BRIC summit, held in Yekaterinburg, June 16, 2009. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)

Yasser Arafat and Algerian President Bouteflika. March 26, 2001 – Amman, Jordan: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat welcomes Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to the Royal Palace. Both leaders will take part in the summit of Arab heads of state. The meeting will be the first formal talks since Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait split the Arab world. (rlw/Arafat Press Office UPI)

Meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Nicolas Sarkozy (left) and Dmitry Medvedev before the start of the Russia-EU summit in Nice, November 14, 2007. At the summit, Sarkozy urged the United States and Russia to stop arguing over nuclear weapons and nuclear shields and pay attention to ensuring further security in Europe. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)

Meeting of the Venezuelan leader and his Iranian counterpart: Iranian President Ahmadinejad (right) shakes hands with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez during the official welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Iran, July 1, 2007. Chavez arrived in Iran on a two-day visit to strengthen political and economic ties between the two countries (UPI Photo/Mohammad Kheirkhah)

Group photograph of the G8 and P5 leaders in L'Aquila. (L-R) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gather for the traditional group photo during the summit in L'Aquila, Italy, July 9, 2009. (UPI Photo /Alex Volgin)

JOHNSON-SIRLEAF Ellen (1938)- President of Liberia since November 2005.

The first female president of an African country. was re-elected for a second term, won in the second round, gaining more than 90% of the votes.

From 1972 to 1973, she was Deputy Minister of Finance, and from 1979 to 1980, Minister of Finance of Liberia in the government of President William Tolbert. After the military coup in 1980 and the dissolution of the government, Sirleaf went to work in the United States at the invitation of the World Bank. In 1985, having become one of the leaders of the opposition Liberian Action Party, she was sentenced to ten years in prison, but was eventually pardoned. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Grybauskaite won a landslide victory in the presidential elections in Lithuania, gaining 68.17% of the vote. she became the first Lithuanian president to be re-elected to a second term.

In the 1990s she worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 1996-1999 - in the Lithuanian Embassy in the USA, in 2000-2001 she was Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1999-2000 and 2001-2004 - Vice Minister of Finance. Since 2004 - European Commissioner for Budget and Financial Programming. Has a black belt in karate. Single.

HYE Park Geun (1952)- President of the Republic of Korea, the first woman to hold this position in the history of the country.

In 2000-2002, she was the Minister of Health of Chile and the Minister of Defense (the first woman to hold this position in the history of Chile and Latin America). In 2010, Michelle Bachelet became UN Under-Secretary-General and head of the UN Agency for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

COLHEIRO PRECA Maria Luisa (1958)- President of Malta. Elected on April 4, 2014.

She has been actively involved in the political life of the country since she was sixteen years old. From 1982 to 1991 she was general secretary of the Malta Labor Party. From 1998 to 2014 he was a member of the Parliament of Malta. In 2013-2014 - Minister of Family Affairs and Social Solidarity. Married, has a daughter.

GRABAR-KITAROVIC Kolinda(1968) - President of Croatia since January 2015.

In November 2003, she was elected to the Croatian Parliament, where she took the post of Minister for European Integration, and then Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. Since 2008, she has been Croatia's Ambassador to the United States. From 2011 to 2014, she served as NATO Assistant Secretary General, becoming the first woman to hold such a senior position in NATO. Married, two children.

GURAB-FAKIM Amina (1959)- The first female President of the Republic of Mauritius since June 2015.

She was a professor of chemistry at the University of Mauritius, and in 2004-2010 she was the dean of the university’s faculty of science. In 2011-2013, she served as Chairman of the International Council of Scientific Unions of the regional branch of African countries. Author of 28 books.

BHANDARI Bidhya Devi (1961)- President of Nepal since October 2015.

She began her political and public career after the death of her husband in 1993. In 1993-1997, she headed the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (Women's Wing). In 1997, she joined the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Nepal, in 2007 she was elected deputy chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal. Since 1999 - in the Parliament of Nepal, in 2009-2011 year was the country's Minister of Defense, becoming the first woman to hold this post.

HAIN Hilda(1951) - President of the Marshall Islands since January 2016.

He holds a Doctor of Science degree (2004). In 1975-1982 she worked as a teacher, and since 1980 as a school consultant. From 2006 to 2012, she was Director of the Pacific Resources in Education Unit at the Center for Integrated Assistance to the Pacific Islands. From 2012 to 2015, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Marshall Islands. Since 2013 she has been the Minister of Education. Hilda Hein is married and has four children.

MERKEL Angela (1954)- Federal Chancellor of Germany. Elected in November 2005, becoming the first woman in history to hold such a position. She was re-elected to this post three times in 2005, 2009 and. She won the last election with 462 votes out of a possible 621.

Merkel began her climb up the career ladder in 1990, when, after elections to the People's Chamber of the GDR, she became the official representative of the East German government. Since December 1990, she became a member of the German Bundestag, where she held the posts of Minister for Women and Youth Affairs, Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Safety of Nuclear Reactors of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1991-1998 she served as deputy chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In 1998-2000 she was general secretary of the CDU. In September 2002, she was re-elected as a member of the German Bundestag.

SULBERG Erna (1961)- Prime Minister of Norway since 2013.

From an early age she became a member of the Conservative Party of Norway, and in 2004 she headed it. Since 1989 he has been a member of the Storting (Norwegian parliament). In 2001-2005 she was Minister of Municipal Affairs and Regional Policy. Erna Solberg is married and has two children.

MAY Teresa (1956)- Prime Minister of Great Britain. May is the second woman in British history to hold this post.

In 1999, she became an economic adviser to the then Prime Minister of Estonia, Mart Laar. In 2001-2004, she was a member of the Isamaaliyt (Union of the Fatherland) party. On 7 May 2004, Kersti Kaljulaid became a member of the European Court of Auditors. In 2010-2014, she was responsible for the chamber’s methodology and for the preparation of the chamber’s annual reports. In recent years, in the chamber she led the preparation of an audit in the agricultural sector and the implementation of reforms in the chamber. In September 2016, Kaljulaid formed a development monitoring council at the Office of the Estonian Parliament.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

TASS DOSSIER. July 13, 2016 Theresa May, who until now served as UK Home Secretary and has just been elected leader of the ruling Conservative Party, is to replace David Cameron as Prime Minister. She will become the second woman to head the British government after Margaret Thatcher (who held this post in 1979-1990). The editors of TASS-DOSSIER have prepared material on which countries women occupy senior government positions.

Read all about Brexit and its consequences in the TASS special project

Currently, 19 women are heads of state or government. Among them are two queens, nine presidents, five prime ministers and three governors general. The most women leaders are in Europe - eight, the fewest in Oceania - one. Apart from the queens, the longest serving Governor-General of Saint Lucia is Perlette Louisi (since 1997).

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, temporarily removed from governing the country, is the first female president in history to be impeached (she is currently awaiting a final decision in the case).

Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 1952; head of the Commonwealth (the association includes 53 states, including Britain). In terms of length of stay on the throne, he ranks first among all British monarchs (64 years). Among all modern reigning persons, she is the second longest in power after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand (66 years). Initiated numerous reforms of the British system of succession to the throne. The portrait of Elizabeth II is depicted on the banknotes of more than 30 countries. Spouse: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The family has four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Princess Anne; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

Margrethe II has been Queen of Denmark since 1972. She became the second woman on the Danish throne (her predecessor Margrethe I ruled the country in the early Middle Ages). Engaged in charitable activities. Many societies and foundations operate under her patronage, including the Royal Danish Scientific Society, the Royal Orphanage, and national associations to combat tuberculosis and cancer. In 1975, she became the first European monarch to visit the USSR. Husband: Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark. The family has two children: Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joakim.

Angela Merkel has been Federal Chancellor of Germany since 2005, the first woman to hold this post. She was elected to the post of head of the German government three times in a row. In 2016, she topped the annual ranking of the most influential women according to the American magazine Forbes for the 11th time. Married to Joachim Sauer. The chancellor does not have his own children.

Dalia Grybauskaite has been the President of Lithuania since 2009. She is the first woman to hold this position in the history of the country, as well as the first president to be re-elected for a second term. The media called her the “Iron Lady” and compared her to Margaret Thatcher. Has a black belt in karate. Single.

Maria Louise Coleiro Preca has been the President of Malta since 2014. She became the youngest president of the republic (54 years old) and the second woman to hold this post. Married to Edgar Preca, has a daughter.

Erna Solberg has been Prime Minister of Norway since 2013. The second woman to hold this post in the country's history and the first Conservative Prime Minister since 1990. Her husband is Sindre Finnes. The family has two daughters.

Beata Szydlo has been the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Poland since 2015. The third woman to hold this position in the history of the country. Married Edward Szydlo, two sons.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has been the President of Croatia since 2015. She became the youngest president (46 years old) and the first woman to hold this position in the history of the country. Spouse - Yakov Kitarovich. The family has two children - a son and a daughter.

Park Geun-hye has been the President of the Republic of Korea since 2013, the first woman to hold this position in the country's history. Daughter of former President Park Chung-hee (1962-1979). Her role in the successes of the conservative Saenuri Party in elections at various levels earned her the nickname "Queen of Elections." Never been married, no children.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari has been the President of Nepal since 2015. She became the first female President and Supreme Commander of the state. Widow, mother of two children.

Sheikh Hasina Wazed is the second woman in the history of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to head the government (1996-2001, 2009-present). Daughter of Mujibur Rahman, the first prime minister (1972-1975) and president (1975) of the state. She survived more than 30 assassination attempts; as a result of one of them (August 21, 2004), according to various estimates, from 19 to 24 people were killed. Widow, mother of two children.

Ellen Jamal Carney Johnson has been President of Liberia since 2006. The first female president in African history, the oldest woman to head a state or government (77 years old). The only one among the current female heads of state is the Nobel Peace Prize laureate (for her contribution to the non-violent struggle for security and protection of women's rights and participation in peacekeeping activities, 2011). In 2012, she was included in the list of the hundred most influential women in the world according to Forbes magazine. Divorced, has four children.

Amina Gharib-Fakim ​​- President of the Republic of Mauritius since 2015. The first woman and first professor to hold this position. Doctor of Chemical Sciences, specialist in the study of the flora of the Mascarene Islands and its use in medicine and pharmacology. Author and executive editor of more than 20 monographs and about 100 scientific articles. Married to Anwar Fakim, has a son and a daughter.

Sarah Kugongelwa-Amadila has been the Prime Minister of Namibia since 2015. She became not only the first woman to hold this post, but also the youngest head of government in the history of the state (she was 47 years old when she took office).

Latin America

Marguerite Pindling has been Governor General of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas since 2014. She was married to former Prime Minister Linden Pindling (1967–1992, died 2000), during whose reign the Bahamas became an independent state (1973). Mother of four children.

Cecile La Grenade has been the Governor General of Grenada since 2013. The first woman to hold this position. By specialty - food technologist.

Perlette Louisi has been the Governor General of Saint Lucia since 1997. The first female head of state in the country's history. She made a great contribution to the development of education in Saint Lucia.

Michelle Bachelet is the first female president of Chile (2006-2010, 2014-present). She was previously Minister of Health (2000-2002) and Minister of Defense of Chile (2002-2004, the first woman to hold this position in the history of Chile and Latin America). Divorced, three children.

Hilda Hein has been President of the Marshall Islands since January 2016. She is the first woman to hold this position, as well as the first and so far only Marshallese citizen to hold a doctorate. She is actively fighting for women's rights in Oceania. Founder of the human rights group United Women of the Marshall Islands. Her election was an important event for the whole of Oceania, where women's participation in political life is still limited. Married, four children.