Famous female politician of the 19th century. Women are current heads of state and government. Dossier. Marine Le Pen

A woman politician is not a rare phenomenon in the modern world. And a beautiful female politician today attracts more and more attention to her person. After all, people, even in modern society, cannot get rid of generally accepted stereotypes: “If you are beautiful, it means you are not smart.” Women politicians are direct proof of the refutation of popular beliefs. Although politics is considered more of a male sphere of activity, there are more and more strong women in the world with an active lifestyle and their own views on areas of life. Despite the fact that politics is a “game without rules”, where the strong in spirit and steely convictions survive. Therefore, beautiful female politicians have long refuted the prevailing stereotype about the incompatibility of women and politics.
In this Top 18 presented the most beautiful women politicians: ministers, deputies, statesmen, holding leading positions in the state or former ones, who have not lost their femininity and attractiveness from different countries of the world: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Israel, Poland, Italy, Greece, Indonesia, Pakistan, Lebanon and Jordan.

17. Hina Rabbani Khar(born November 19, 1977, Multan, Pakistan) is the first woman in Pakistan to hold the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the state. She also became the youngest politician in this position.

14. Poklonskaya Natalia(born March 18, 1980, Ukraine) - Russian lawyer, prosecutor of the Republic of Crimea since May 2, 2014, state counselor of justice 3rd class.

7. Joanna Mucha(born April 12, 1976 Poland) - Polish politician. In 2011, she served as Minister of Sports and Tourism of Poland.

6. Angela Gerekou(born April 15, 1959 Corfu, Greece) - Greek politician, actress and architect. In the past, she held the post of deputy. Greek Minister of Tourism.

5. Berezhnaya Irina(born August 13, 1980 in Lugansk) - Ukrainian political and public figure, lawyer, member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Justice, member of groups for interparliamentary relations with several countries (including Russia and the USA)

2. Volodchenko Irina(born November 5, 1986, Svirsk, Russia) - participant in the reality show "Bachelor". In 2008, she began her career as a legal consultant at Lukoil, and in 2013 she joined the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Member of the Coordination Council of the NGO "Young Guard".

It is no secret that women are a minority in politics. Of course, representatives of the fair sex (also called the weaker sex) have achieved some success. The examples of Indira Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto, who came to power and achieved respect in countries where many prejudices reigned for centuries, are impressive. Today the situation is gradually changing for the better. Every year a list is compiled (according to the Business Insider portal), which includes the most influential people in the world. These are not only politicians; among the most important people there are show business figures, economists, and TV show hosts. It is too early to talk about gender equality in our world. The list also contains female names, but there are far fewer than half of them. Actually, not even a quarter. Moreover, not all the ladies mentioned in this top parade objectively (and subjectively) deserve the right to be role models. However, this also applies to the most influential men. So, a dozen women who have achieved a lot in life:

Isabel dos Santos

In fact, Isabel is the President of Angola’s own daughter, which explains a lot. It is much easier to engage in investments and entrepreneurship if you have a “strong rear” in the person of loving relatives. The average citizen of this African country lives on $2 a day, but forty-two-year-old Dos Santos managed to earn as much as 3 billion and another 400 million plus. The area of detail of the capable daughter of the president extends to the telecommunications sector and banking business. Owning the Angolan media holding Unitel, Isabel dos Santos also invests abroad, for example, in Portugal and Spain.

Meg Whitman

She is 59 years old and serves as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, one of the leading electronics manufacturers in the United States. To Mrs. Whitman’s credit, it was she who brought the company out of crisis, which at the time of her taking office (2011) was on the verge of bankruptcy and torn apart by internal corporate scandals. She carried out rapid and effective structural reform. Fruitless acquisitions were written off, thousands of unnecessary workers were laid off, and other measures were taken to increase profitability. Whitman previously served as CEO of e-commerce site eBay. Having arrived there, she led a team of only 30 employees who earned a measly 4 million a year. Now Meg Whitman is a billionaire, her net worth is $2.1 billion. During her ten-year leadership, eBay's staff grew to 15 thousand people, and income reached $8 billion a year. In addition, Whitman is no stranger to politics. In 2010, she ran for governor of California (unsuccessfully), spending $119 million on the campaign.

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton, 68 years old, entered politics as First Lady of the United States, but was not satisfied with this minor role, and later took the chair of Secretary of State. In 2016, she plans to become President of the United States, running for the Democratic Party. This case may become the first in history when the mistress of the White House will live in it twice in different guises. Despite many absurdities and rather naive reasoning, voters like Hillary Clinton. She won special sympathy for the dignity with which she behaved in the difficult situation of the scandal that arose due to her husband’s infidelity.

Beyoncé

The American singer known by this pseudonym is actually named Larry Busacca. She is 34 years old and one of the most successful artists in modern show business. Her albums sell millions of copies, and her concerts are always sold out. Beyoncé is also noted for her frequent nominations for the Grammy Awards, this happened 53 times and ended in victory in 20 cases. In addition, the singer is actively involved in social activities, fighting global problems, including hunger, poverty, environmental pollution and lack of proper healthcare. Beyoncé is a staunch advocate for women's and children's rights and has made humanitarian trips to Haiti and other poor countries.

Ginni Rometty

At the age of 58, only a very outstanding and self-confident woman can afford to introduce herself so easily as Ginny. Virginia Rometty is nothing less than the CEO of IBM. Last year, she had to take a very unpopular measure; she refused to pay the promised $20 dividend per share. This was done to fulfill a daring plan of investment in new projects. As a result, the company's profits are expected to double by 2018. At the same time, the profile of the main areas of investment is changing significantly; the company is reducing the production of hardware equipment, which it has specialized in for decades. Now more attention will be paid to research and technology. Miss Rometty herself comments briefly on this risky decision: “Perestroika is not protecting the past!”

Park Geun-hye

This woman became the first female president of South Korea, her age is 63 years old. At the same time, one should take into account the unfortunate fact that this state stands out for its monstrous gender inequality among all industrialized countries.

The Republic of Korea is currently experiencing an unprecedented threat from the DPRK. Park Geun-hye shows rare restraint and self-control, reacting very restrainedly but steadfastly to aggressive attacks from the North.

Oprah Winfrey

This 61-year-old woman is worth almost $3 billion. Oprah Winfrey is the only black female billionaire in the United States. At the same time, she achieved success with the most modest initial conditions; Oprah Winfrey grew up in poverty and lack of rights. The woman showman prefers to invest the money she earns in stocks, and enters into large-scale transactions that affect stock quotes.

Christine Lagarde

In 2011, this French woman was appointed managing director of the IMF. Now Christine Lagarde is 59 years old, and she determines the direction of the international financial organization, which includes 188 countries.

The IMF's approval of the Chinese yuan as a reserve currency was a historic step that could lead to a reduction in the influence of the dollar. The issue of providing financial assistance to Greece was also difficult.

Dilma Rousseff

The first female president in Brazilian history. Running the largest Latin American country with the seventh largest economy in the world is not easy. Rousseff is credited with almost completely eradicating poverty during her first presidential term and increasing monthly benefits for needy families.

Now times have become especially difficult; the Brazilian economy is experiencing a recession caused by a decline in world prices for raw materials and the devaluation of the national currency. The matter may come to impeachment, although Dilma Rousseff does not intend to give up yet.

Abigail Johnson

Since 2012, CEO of Fidelity, the second largest fund in the United States, overseeing financial power of $5.2 trillion. She is 53 and started working as an ordinary analyst in 1988. The measures she takes to increase productivity are not harsh in a feminine way. Abigail Johnson quietly cuts costs and fires ineffective managers. She even tried in 2004 to expel her own father from the top management of the fund due to disagreements, but the attempt failed.

Fidelity's CEO is responsible for millions of retirement accounts for ordinary Americans. Abigail Johnson has a 24% stake in the company and has a vested interest in the fund's success. Her personal fortune is estimated at $18.5 billion. She is one of the richest women in the world.

Janet Yellen

This 69-year-old woman serves as chairman of the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve System. In fact, she is the guardian and guarantor of the US economy. Thanks in part to the efforts of Janet Yellen, this year is ending on a positive note: 271 thousand jobs were added in October, and unemployment fell by 5%. She insists that interest rate increases are inevitable. The head of the US Federal Reserve constantly has to balance between possible inflation and a slowdown in growth rates. Janet Yellen is coping with this difficult task so far.

Angela Merkel

The German chancellor is 61 years old and is considered a very strong European leader. There are plenty of problems, including an unprecedented influx of refugees, the Ukrainian crisis, and difficulties in the Middle East. Not everything is going well inside the eurozone either, but Frau Merkel is still at the helm of the strongest country in the Old World and is trying to play a stabilizing role, which is succeeding with varying degrees of success.

The opinion that women have nothing to do in politics has already become stereotypical. Men believe that the weaker sex should stay at home and raise children. Great achievements should be left to the second half, the stronger one. However, history regularly refutes this thesis. It turns out that for hundreds of centuries women have regularly come to power, sometimes exerting a significant influence on the fate of states.

And it doesn’t matter that politics is considered a game without rules, that the fittest survives here. “Weak” women can show a steely will, loyalty to principles, foresight and cunning. Today we are no longer surprised by women prime ministers, women chancellors and women presidents. But here are the names of those ladies who left the most significant mark in politics, skillfully demonstrating themselves in public office.

Cleopatra.

Cleopatra.
In 51 BC. Pharaoh Ptolemy XII died. According to his will, power in the country passed to his daughter Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy XIV.

The boy was only 9 years old at that time; his sister immediately married him in order to have the right to reign.
Cleopatra remained in history as a beautiful, educated and intelligent woman. She managed to become a real legend.

Cleopatra knew how to charm people, which helped her in the struggle for power. She managed to persuade Gaius Julius Caesar to return the throne to her, in return, giving the Roman her love. Soon Caesar would be killed, and Cleopatra chose Mark Antony as her new patron and lover. This woman's love went hand in hand with her struggle for power.

A calm reign was hampered by constant intrigues in her circle. Emperor Octavian persuaded Cleopatra to abdicate her throne, promising to preserve the rights of her children.
However, the proud queen refused. Having spoken out together with her beloved against Rome, she lost the fight. Anthony committed suicide; the inconsolable widow died from the bite of a snake brought to her by her servants.

Several centuries have passed, but Cleopatra remains a legendary politician. The woman mixed her feelings and the relations of powerful powers, she fought for her throne and the freedom of her country, failing. This is what made her image so tragic and memorable.

Princess Olga.

Princess Olga.
This Grand Duchess (baptized Elena) ruled Kievan Rus after her husband, Prince Igor Rurikovich, died.

Olga herself was either from the Pskov region, from an ordinary Varangian family, or from a wealthy Slavic family. The chronicle says that in 945, Prince Igor died while collecting tribute from the Drevlyans.
His son, Svyatoslav, was only three years old at that time. So Olga became the de facto ruler of Kievan Rus. She became famous for her cruelty.
Thus, for the death of her husband, the princess took revenge on the Drevlyans as many as four times, forcefully suppressing any attempts at resistance. Having come to power, Olga pursued a policy of strengthening the power of Kyiv among the Slavic tribes.

The ruler laid the foundation for stone urban planning in Rus'. In 947, the ruler replaced the former polyudye with an established tribute for the Drevlyans and Novgorodians - graveyards were created.
The collectors stopped there and collected tribute. According to the chronicles, in 957, Princess Olga was baptized in Constantinople. As a result, she is revered as a saint. After all, she was the first of the Russian rulers to accept Christianity, even before the Baptism of Rus'.

The graveyards she created became the basis for the first churches. Olga died in 969 and was buried according to Christian rites. Her image was preserved in the chronicles as the forerunner of Christianity in Rus'; she shone like the moon in the night among the pagans.

Queen Tamara.

Queen Tamara.
In 1178, at the age of 12, Tamara was crowned co-regent of her father, George III.

The king had no heir and the situation in the country was heating up.
After the death of the ruler, Tamara was crowned again in 1184. First of all, the queen began to restore order in church life and in the government of the country. Officials and bishops who abused their positions were dismissed, the lot of the peasants was eased, and duties were removed from the church. Tamara went down in history as a wise, beautiful woman.

She was hardworking and religious. The queen chose the words as her motto: “I am the father of the orphans and the judge of widows.” She managed to bring peace within the country; during her reign there was not a single case of corporal punishment or the death penalty. Together with her husbands, Tamara led an active offensive foreign policy, winning wars. Having ensured the country's dominance in Asia Minor, Tamara gathered at her court a circle of writers who developed the Georgian language.

Contemporaries wrote laudatory odes about the queen, extolling her talents. After Tamara's death in 1209-1213, the local church canonized her.

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc. This woman managed to become the national heroine of France, saving the country from conquest. The Maid of Orleans was born in 1412 in the village of Domremy, in northeastern France.

At the age of 13, the girl heard the voices of the saints, and then saw them. They told Jeanne that she was destined to lift the siege of the city of Orleans, place the king on the throne and expel the invaders from the country. At the age of 17, she set out to fulfill her destiny. The girl was able to convince the Dauphin that she was sent to him by heaven. As a result, Charles VII gave her troops and appointed her commander-in-chief.

Joan of Arc quickly defeated the British at Orleans, which seemed impossible. After a series of victories, Charles VII was crowned in Reims in the presence of the Maid of Orléans. The southwest of France was liberated from the invaders. The course of the Hundred Years' War has finally changed. In 1430, Joan of Arc was captured by the British. A fictitious trial accused the girl of witchcraft and on May 30, 1431 she was burned at the stake.

Despite her short life, Joan of Arc did a lot. Even her death did not help the British - France rallied and in 1453 finally expelled the invaders, ending the Hundred Years' War. Subsequently, Joan of Arc was officially acquitted, becoming one of the most significant characters in the history of the country.

Roksolana Anastasia Lisovskaya

Roksolana. Anastasia Lisovskaya was born in Rohatyn in 1506.

Her fate had been sad and rather ordinary until that time. The Tatars kidnapped the girl and sold the slave to the Turks. So Anastasia ended up in the harem of Prince Suleiman.

In 1520, he ascended the throne, and the Sultan made him his beloved wife and even lived with her in a monogamous marriage, which became a unique case for the Ottoman dynasty. Roksolana received the name Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, which means “cheerful”. Through intrigue, she got rid of her rivals, essentially becoming the Sultan's co-ruler. Myself

Suleiman spent most of his time on military campaigns; the country was ruled by his wife, completely immersed in state affairs. Historians recall that Roksolana was a highly educated person, she received ambassadors, answered letters from other rulers, and patronized the arts. The woman appeared in public with an open face, however, Islamic leaders considered her a devout Muslim.

Thanks to Roksolana, new mosques appeared in Istanbul. The woman gave birth to 6 children to the Sultan; her son Selim, thanks to his mother’s intrigues, became the heir to the throne. Many novels have been written about Roksolan, television films have been made, plays have been staged and music has been written. The cunning female politician managed to achieve unprecedented influence in the conservative state.

Queen Elizabeth.

Queen Elizabeth.

It so happened that the golden age in the history of England is associated precisely with a female politician. Elizabeth became the last representative of the Tudor dynasty on the throne of the country. She was born in 1558, being crowned at the age of 25. By that time, Elizabeth had decided never to get married, because her father’s behavior made the girl have a peculiar attitude towards men. So she eventually went down in history as the Virgin Queen.

Despite her withdrawal from the struggle for power, Elizabeth ascended the throne - the rest of the heirs died. At that time, she was a woman in her prime, looking younger than her years and not exhausted by numerous births and miscarriages. One of the first decrees of the new queen was the “Act of Uniformity,” which reconciled Catholics and Protestants and helped avoid civil war.

Under Elizabeth, England finally became a great maritime power. With the queen's blessing, English pirates plundered Spanish ships. England founded its first colony in North America. During the reign of Elizabeth, the Invincible Armada was defeated. The Queen established close relations with Russia; she is the only woman with whom Ivan the Terrible corresponded. Elizabeth's decree created the East India Company, which helped colonize India and the eastern countries.

The Queen patronized the arts, Bacon and Shakespeare worked under her, and the Royal Troupe was created. Elizabeth the First died in 1603, remaining the greatest ruler in English history.

Catherine the Great.

Catherine the Great.

She was born Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1729. At the age of 15, she was betrothed to the heir to the Russian throne, Pyotr Fedorovich, who was the nephew of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Despite her origins, Catherine actively opposed the pro-Prussian course of her husband, Emperor Peter III.

In 1762, a coup d'état was carried out led by Catherine's lover, Count Orlov. Peter III was arrested and soon died. So his wife was proclaimed Empress Catherine II. She remained the greatest ruler in the history of the country. Thanks to this extraordinary woman, Russia became a significant power. The country pursued a policy of enlightened absolutism.

Catherine herself was an educated and intelligent woman, corresponded with Voltaire, and actively participated in all matters. Under this empress, the country received a million new citizens; parts of Poland, Lithuania, Crimea, and Courland were annexed to the country. Russia has finally asserted its influence in the Black Sea. The army doubled and government revenues quadrupled. Domestic politics also played a significant role.

Thus, private printing houses appeared in the country, the Academy of Russian Literature was founded in 1783, the first bookstore opened, and the population began to receive medical help. The country has grown culturally, science and national literature have made a sharp leap. Catherine II died in 1796. During her 34 years in power, she managed to make Russia a great and influential power.

Indira Gandhi.

Indira Gandhi.

This woman was born in 1917. She served as prime minister twice, from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984. This wise politician was nicknamed the conscience of the nation. Indira was the only daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the leader of the nation and the country's first prime minister.

After the death of her father, Indira entered parliament from his party, the Indian National Congress. After the death of Lal Shastri, the country's second prime minister, Indira Gandhi heads the party and becomes the head of state. After the INC split, a woman led an independent party, winning elections with it in 1971 under the slogan of fighting poverty.

During the years of Indira Gandhi's rule, she pursued a policy of rapprochement with the USSR, banks were nationalized, and industry developed at an accelerated pace. The first nuclear power plant was launched in the state of Maharashta. In agriculture, under Gandhi, a “green revolution” took place - the country got rid of the need to purchase food. Thanks to the woman politician, the intensity of interreligious conflicts decreased, but she also had to resort to unpopular measures - pressure on the opposition, forced sterilization of the population.

Due to a political scandal, Indira lost power, soon returning to her post. The prime minister's second term in office was marred by her confrontation with the Sikh people. They managed to take revenge on their offender - on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was killed by her own bodyguards.

Margaret Thatcher.

This man became a classic female politician, serving as an ideal for many. Margaret was born in 1925. She was educated as a chemist and then as a lawyer. At 34, a woman enters parliament, and in 1970 receives the post of Minister of Education and Science. In 1975, Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party, the first time in the country's history that a woman led one of the major parties. After winning the election in 1979, Thatcher became prime minister.

In her post, the woman faced many problems. She believed that Britain was in decline. Thus, in the social sphere, in health care and education, there was a clear division into first- and second-class people. Voters did not appreciate the increase in unemployment and stagnation in the economy, but in 1982 the country fought a victorious war in the Falklands. Economic growth enabled Thatcher to be re-elected in both 1983 and 1987. However, the tough tax policy and views on England's place in the European Union did not find understanding in their own party.

As a result, Margaret Thatcher left her post in 1990. Her hard line towards the European Union has brought England to the brink of international isolation. After all, Thatcher was characterized by an authoritarian style that was in no way consistent with the classic skillful and resourceful British diplomacy. However, even today people envy the iron lady’s manner of doing business and try to imitate her. Margaret Thatcher sharply criticized the Soviet regime, implementing a number of conservative measures that became part of her policy, “Thatcherism.”

The classic manifestation of her character was the miners' strike in 1984-1985. Thatcher anticipated this situation and prepared for it. Coal reserves were accumulated and possible imports of fuel into the country were prepared. When the strike began, the authorities took a firm position. 11 million Britons, members of trade unions, hated the prime minister for his reluctance to negotiate. However, the iron lady did not waver, and the strikers were forced to return to work.

Benazir Bhutto.

Benazir Bhutto.

This woman is the latest and classic example of how difficult it is for ladies in modern and "male" politics. She managed to become the first head of government of a conservative Muslim country in modern history. Benazir was born in Karachi in 1953, from childhood she was given freedom unthinkable for Pakistan - she was allowed not to wear a veil, she was given the opportunity to get a good education. Benazir returned from America to the country in 1977; by that time, her father had managed to be both president and prime minister.

It was planned that the woman would become a diplomat, but she decided to help her father in his political career. During the coup, the family was arrested. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was executed, and Benazir herself went into exile. In 1988, the Pakistan People's Party, led by Bhutto, won, and she became prime minister, largely thanks to her father's popularity in the country. The prime minister was able to increase spending on health care and education, but during a bribery scandal on the part of her husband, the Minister of Finance, she was forced to leave her post.

In 1993, Benazir Bhutto won the election again. The woman promised to defeat corruption and poverty. And again the situation repeated itself. Illiteracy was reduced by a third, polio was finally defeated, and water and electricity appeared in the villages. Investments increased manifold, the country's economy grew rapidly. In 1996, the woman was named the most popular politician of the year and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Oxford. However, corruption has flourished in the country even more.

After her resignation and emigration, Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan. She was not afraid of threats from al-Qaeda and Taliban radicals to kill her. In December 2007, two attempts were made on the brave woman’s life, the second was fatal. The murder of the former prime minister shocked the world community. Even the UN Security Council adopted a special resolution condemning the murder of a prominent politician.

Women in modern politics

There are currently 22 women heads of state and government, including two queens, ten presidents, six prime ministers and four governors general. The most women leaders are in Europe - ten, the fewest in Oceania - two. Apart from the queens, the longest serving Governor-General of Saint Lucia is Perlette Louisi (since 1997).

Europe

Elizabeth II- 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.

Theresa May- Prime Minister of Great Britain since 2016. The second woman to head the British government after Margaret Thatcher (held this post in 1979-1990). Also in 2010-2016. was the UK Home Secretary (the second woman in the country's history to hold this position after Jackie Smith, who headed the ministry in 2007-2009). According to experts, May held this post longer than any of her predecessors since the end of World War II (James Eade led the ministry from 1945-1951). Mae's main hobby is cooking; she has a collection of more than 100 cookbooks. Spouse: Philip John May, an employee of the American trust company Capital Group Companies. No children.

Margrethe II- 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- 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- 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. Not married.

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

Erna Solberg- 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. Husband - Sindre Finnes. The family has two daughters.

Beata Szydlo- 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- 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.

Kersti Kaljulaid- President of Estonia since 2016. The first woman to hold this position in the history of the country. Knows English, French, Finnish, and Russian. Married for the second time. Husband - Georg-René Maksimovsky. The family has a daughter and three sons (the daughter and eldest son are from his first marriage).

Asia

Park Geun-hye- President of the Republic of Korea since 2013, the first woman to hold this position in the history of the country. 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– 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- 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.

Africa

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf- President of Liberia since 2006. The first female president in African history, the oldest woman at the head of 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 the 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 the first professor in 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- Prime Minister of Namibia since 2015. She became not only the first woman in this post, but also the youngest head of government in the history of the state (she was 47 years old at the time of taking office).

Latin America

Marguerite Pindling– 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- Governor General of Grenada since 2013. The first woman to hold this post. By profession - food technologist.

Perlette Luisi- Governor General of Saint Lucia since 1997. The first female head of state in the history of the country. She made a great contribution to the development of education in Saint Lucia.

Michelle Bachelet– 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.

Oceania

Hilda Hein- 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 citizen of the Marshall Islands 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.

Patsy Reddy- Governor-General of New Zealand since 2016. Lawyer specializing in tax, corporate and film law. For a long time she worked in senior positions in a number of New Zealand private and public companies. Husband: David Gascoigne, also a lawyer.

Cleopatra. In 51 BC. Pharaoh Ptolemy XII died. According to his will, power in the country passed to his daughter Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy XIV. The boy was only 9 years old at that time; his sister immediately married him in order to have the right to reign. Cleopatra remained in history as a beautiful, educated and intelligent woman. She managed to become a real legend. Cleopatra knew how to charm people, which helped her in the struggle for power. She managed to persuade Gaius Julius Caesar to return the throne to her, in return, giving the Roman her love. Soon Caesar would be killed, and Cleopatra chose Mark Antony as her new patron and lover. This woman's love went hand in hand with her struggle for power. A calm reign was hampered by constant intrigues in her circle. Emperor Octavian persuaded Cleopatra to abdicate her throne, promising to preserve the rights of her children. However, the proud queen refused. Having spoken out together with her beloved against Rome, she lost the fight. Anthony committed suicide; the inconsolable widow died from the bite of a snake brought to her by her servants. Several centuries have passed, but Cleopatra remains a legendary politician. The woman mixed her feelings and the relations of powerful powers, she fought for her throne and the freedom of her country, failing. This is what made her image so tragic and memorable.

Princess Olga. This Grand Duchess (baptized Elena) ruled Kievan Rus after her husband, Prince Igor Rurikovich, died. Olga herself was either from the Pskov region, from an ordinary Varangian family, or from a wealthy Slavic family. The chronicle says that in 945, Prince Igor died while collecting tribute from the Drevlyans. His son, Svyatoslav, was only three years old at that time. So Olga became the de facto ruler of Kievan Rus. She became famous for her cruelty. Thus, for the death of her husband, the princess took revenge on the Drevlyans as many as four times, forcefully suppressing any attempts at resistance. Having come to power, Olga pursued a policy of strengthening the power of Kyiv among the Slavic tribes. The ruler laid the foundation for stone urban planning in Rus'. In 947, the ruler replaced the former polyudye with an established tribute for the Drevlyans and Novgorodians - graveyards were created. The collectors stopped there and collected tribute. According to the chronicles, in 957, Princess Olga was baptized in Constantinople. As a result, she is revered as a saint. After all, she was the first of the Russian rulers to accept Christianity, even before the Baptism of Rus'. The graveyards she created became the basis for the first churches. Olga died in 969 and was buried according to Christian rites. Her image was preserved in the chronicles as the forerunner of Christianity in Rus'; she shone like the moon in the night among the pagans.

Queen Tamara. In 1178, at the age of 12, Tamara was crowned co-regent of her father, George III. The king had no heir and the situation in the country was heating up. After the death of the ruler, Tamara was crowned again in 1184. First of all, the queen began to restore order in church life and in the government of the country. Officials and bishops who abused their positions were dismissed, the lot of the peasants was eased, and duties were removed from the church. Tamara went down in history as a wise, beautiful woman. She was hardworking and religious. The queen chose the words as her motto: “I am the father of the orphans and the judge of widows.” She managed to bring peace within the country; during her reign there was not a single case of corporal punishment or the death penalty. Together with her husbands, Tamara led an active offensive foreign policy, winning wars. Having ensured the country's dominance in Asia Minor, Tamara gathered at her court a circle of writers who developed the Georgian language. Contemporaries wrote laudatory odes about the queen, extolling her talents. After Tamara's death in 1209-1213, the local church canonized her.

Joan of Arc. This woman managed to become the national heroine of France, saving the country from conquest. The Maid of Orleans was born in 1412 in the village of Domremy, in northeastern France. At the age of 13, the girl heard the voices of the saints, and then saw them. They told Jeanne that she was destined to lift the siege of the city of Orleans, place the king on the throne and expel the invaders from the country. At the age of 17, she set out to fulfill her destiny. The girl was able to convince the Dauphin that she was sent to him by heaven. As a result, Charles VII gave her troops and appointed her commander-in-chief. Joan of Arc quickly defeated the British at Orleans, which seemed impossible. After a series of victories, Charles VII was crowned in Reims in the presence of the Maid of Orléans. The southwest of France was liberated from the invaders. The course of the Hundred Years' War has finally changed. In 1430, Joan of Arc was captured by the British. A fictitious trial accused the girl of witchcraft and on May 30, 1431 she was burned at the stake. Despite her short life, Joan of Arc did a lot. Even her death did not help the British - France rallied and in 1453 finally expelled the invaders, ending the Hundred Years' War. Subsequently, Joan of Arc was officially acquitted, becoming one of the most significant characters in the history of the country.

Roksolana. Anastasia Lisovskaya was born in Rohatyn in 1506. Her fate had been sad and rather ordinary until that time. The Tatars kidnapped the girl and sold the slave to the Turks. So Anastasia ended up in the harem of Prince Suleiman. In 1520, he ascended the throne, and the Sultan made him his beloved wife and even lived with her in a monogamous marriage, which became a unique case for the Ottoman dynasty. Roksolana received the name Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska, which means “cheerful”. Through intrigue, she got rid of her rivals, essentially becoming the Sultan's co-ruler. Suleiman himself spent most of his time on military campaigns; the country was ruled by his wife, completely immersed in state affairs. Historians recall that Roksolana was a highly educated person, she received ambassadors, answered letters from other rulers, and patronized the arts. The woman appeared in public with an open face, however, Islamic leaders considered her a devout Muslim. Thanks to Roksolana, new mosques appeared in Istanbul. The woman gave birth to 6 children to the Sultan; her son Selim, thanks to his mother’s intrigues, became the heir to the throne. Many novels have been written about Roksolan, television films have been made, plays have been staged and music has been written. The cunning female politician managed to achieve unprecedented influence in the conservative state.

Queen Elizabeth. It so happened that the golden age in the history of England is associated precisely with a female politician. Elizabeth became the last representative of the Tudor dynasty on the throne of the country. She was born in 1558, being crowned at the age of 25. By that time, Elizabeth had decided never to get married, because her father’s behavior made the girl have a peculiar attitude towards men. So she eventually went down in history as the Virgin Queen. Despite her withdrawal from the struggle for power, Elizabeth ascended the throne - the rest of the heirs died. At that time, she was a woman in her prime, looking younger than her years and not exhausted by numerous births and miscarriages. One of the first decrees of the new queen was the “Act of Uniformity,” which reconciled Catholics and Protestants and helped avoid civil war. Under Elizabeth, England finally became a great maritime power. With the queen's blessing, English pirates plundered Spanish ships. England founded its first colony in North America. During the reign of Elizabeth, the Invincible Armada was defeated. The Queen established close relations with Russia; she is the only woman with whom Ivan the Terrible corresponded. Elizabeth's decree created the East India Company, which helped colonize India and the eastern countries. The Queen patronized the arts, Bacon and Shakespeare worked under her, and the Royal Troupe was created. Elizabeth the First died in 1603, remaining the greatest ruler in English history.

Catherine the Great. She was born Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1729. At the age of 15, she was betrothed to the heir to the Russian throne, Pyotr Fedorovich, who was the nephew of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Despite her origins, Catherine actively opposed the pro-Prussian course of her husband, Emperor Peter III. In 1762, a coup d'état was carried out led by Catherine's lover, Count Orlov. Peter III was arrested and soon died. So his wife was proclaimed Empress Catherine II. She remained the greatest ruler in the history of the country. Thanks to this extraordinary woman, Russia became a significant power. The country pursued a policy of enlightened absolutism. Catherine herself was an educated and intelligent woman, corresponded with Voltaire, and actively participated in all matters. Under this empress, the country received a million new citizens; parts of Poland, Lithuania, Crimea, and Courland were annexed to the country. Russia has finally asserted its influence in the Black Sea. The army doubled and government revenues quadrupled. Domestic politics also played a significant role. Thus, private printing houses appeared in the country, the Academy of Russian Literature was founded in 1783, the first bookstore opened, and the population began to receive medical help. The country has grown culturally, science and national literature have made a sharp leap. Catherine II died in 1796. During her 34 years in power, she managed to make Russia a great and influential power.

Indira Gandhi. This woman was born in 1917. She served as prime minister twice, from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984. This wise politician was nicknamed the conscience of the nation. Indira was the only daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the leader of the nation and the country's first prime minister. After the death of her father, Indira entered parliament from his party, the Indian National Congress. After the death of Lal Shastri, the country's second prime minister, Indira Gandhi heads the party and becomes the head of state. After the INC split, a woman led an independent party, winning elections with it in 1971 under the slogan of fighting poverty. During the years of Indira Gandhi's rule, she pursued a policy of rapprochement with the USSR, banks were nationalized, and industry developed at an accelerated pace. The first nuclear power plant was launched in the state of Maharashta. In agriculture, under Gandhi, a “green revolution” took place - the country got rid of the need to purchase food. Thanks to the woman politician, the intensity of interreligious conflicts decreased, but she also had to resort to unpopular measures - pressure on the opposition, forced sterilization of the population. Due to a political scandal, Indira lost power, soon returning to her post. The prime minister's second term in office was marred by her confrontation with the Sikh people. They managed to take revenge on their offender - on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was killed by her own bodyguards.

Margaret Thatcher. This man became a classic female politician, serving as an ideal for many. Margaret was born in 1925. She was educated as a chemist and then as a lawyer. At 34, a woman enters parliament, and in 1970 receives the post of Minister of Education and Science. In 1975, Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party, the first time in the country's history that a woman led one of the major parties. After winning the election in 1979, Thatcher became prime minister. In her post, the woman faced many problems. She believed that Britain was in decline. Thus, in the social sphere, in health care and education, there was a clear division into first- and second-class people. Voters did not appreciate the increase in unemployment and stagnation in the economy, but in 1982 the country fought a victorious war in the Falklands. Economic growth enabled Thatcher to be re-elected in both 1983 and 1987. However, the tough tax policy and views on England's place in the European Union did not find understanding in their own party. As a result, Margaret Thatcher left her post in 1990. Her hard line towards the European Union has brought England to the brink of international isolation. After all, Thatcher was characterized by an authoritarian style that was in no way consistent with the classic skillful and resourceful British diplomacy. However, even today people envy the iron lady’s manner of doing business and try to imitate her. Margaret Thatcher sharply criticized the Soviet regime, implementing a number of conservative measures that became part of her policy, “Thatcherism.” The classic manifestation of her character was the miners' strike in 1984-1985. Thatcher anticipated this situation and prepared for it. Coal reserves were accumulated and possible imports of fuel into the country were prepared. When the strike began, the authorities took a firm position. 11 million Britons, members of trade unions, hated the prime minister for his reluctance to negotiate. However, the iron lady did not waver, and the strikers were forced to return to work.

Benazir Bhutto. This woman is the latest and classic example of how difficult it is for ladies in modern and "male" politics. She managed to become the first head of government of a conservative Muslim country in modern history. Benazir was born in Karachi in 1953, from childhood she was given freedom unthinkable for Pakistan - she was allowed not to wear a veil, she was given the opportunity to get a good education. Benazir returned from America to the country in 1977; by that time, her father had managed to be both president and prime minister. It was planned that the woman would become a diplomat, but she decided to help her father in his political career. During the coup, the family was arrested. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was executed, and Benazir herself went into exile. In 1988, the Pakistan People's Party, led by Bhutto, won, and she became prime minister, largely thanks to her father's popularity in the country. The prime minister was able to increase spending on health care and education, but during a bribery scandal on the part of her husband, the Minister of Finance, she was forced to leave her post. In 1993, Benazir Bhutto won the election again. The woman promised to defeat corruption and poverty. And again the situation repeated itself. Illiteracy was reduced by a third, polio was finally defeated, and water and electricity appeared in the villages. Investments increased manifold, the country's economy grew rapidly. In 1996, the woman was named the most popular politician of the year and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Oxford. However, corruption has flourished in the country even more. After her resignation and emigration, Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan. She was not afraid of threats from al-Qaeda and Taliban radicals to kill her. In December 2007, two attempts were made on the brave woman’s life, the second was fatal. The murder of the former prime minister shocked the world community. Even the UN Security Council adopted a special resolution condemning the murder of a prominent politician.