head of state- this is the highest official body, the first person in the structure of government of the country, the bearer of executive power, the guarantor of the constitution, sovereignty, freedoms and rights of citizens. In most countries, the head of state is one of the main components of the legislative and executive power. Without the signature of such a person, the law is considered invalid. At the same time, in each country, the forms, powers, legal form, competence and features of the choice of the head of state may differ.
Types of heads of state
Today in the world there are two main types of first persons of state formations:
1. Individual head of state:
The peculiarity of such a ruler is to obtain his status by inheritance, that is, representatives of the reigning dynasty can rule the state. At the same time, the procedure for the transfer of power is determined at the legislative level or based on the customs of the people. In some countries, such heads of state are appointed or elected;
- the president. In this case, the first person of the country can be chosen for a certain term (by the government, by the people).
2. Collegial government of the state. For example, in Andorra, the role of the head is assumed by two persons - the bishop of the Spanish diocese and the president of France. In Switzerland, the head of state is the Federal Council.
Forms of heads of state
In modern practice, six main forms can be distinguished that allow certain bodies to implement the functions of the ruler of the state:
1. Monarch is one of the oldest forms of government. Such a ruler can obtain his seat in three ways:
- by inheritance. This option is the most popular. Examples include Belgium, the Netherlands, Thailand, the UK, Japan, and so on;
- be nominated to his position or chosen by the family of elders. This form of selection is popular in countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and so on;
- to be elected other monarchs leading the subjects of the country. The only such example in the world practice is Malaysia. The peculiarity of this country is that the head of state is elected by the sultans for a five-year term.
2. President. Such a head of state can be chosen in three ways - by a vote of parliament, by the will of the people, or by recommendations of special boards. The latter are formed from representatives of local authorities and members of the parliamentary board.
3.collegial body. Such a governing body is elected by parliament and has a limited term of office. For example, the collegial body was considered ruling under the USSR, now - in Cuba and in a number of other countries. Peculiarity 
collegiate body - the inability to make any final decisions, so this right is given to one of the representatives (as a rule, this is the head of the collegiate body). It is he who can sign documents, accept diplomas from ambassadors of other countries, conduct foreign policy activities, and so on.
4. Supreme ruler concurrently. Here we are talking about the performance of the main functions of the head of government - the prime minister. For example, a similar form is popular in Germany, where there are several subjects of the Federation (lands). Moreover, each "land" has its own government and parliament.
5. Governor General. Usually. is the representative of the British monarch. If you remember the history, then Great Britain previously had many colonies around the world, which today are united in the Commonwealth. Since 1950, many countries have become republics (for example, India), but at the same time they recognized the Queen of Great Britain as their ruler. Today, out of 49 states, she is the ruler of only 17. These include Barbados, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and so on.
In turn, the governor-general is not a ruler in its purest form, but a protege who performs the functions of the head of state. At the same time, the form of his government is very conditional, like the reign of the Queen herself.
6. Junta- this is a government body that has achieved the right to lead through a coup d'état, illegally. Most often, the junta is a military people who first led the movement, and then chose a president for themselves (as a rule, this is the commander of the movement). Such bodies are usually the case for countries in Latin America (in the 1920s), Africa, and so on. The leader of the junta assumes the main powers - the supreme commander in chief, military leader, executive and legislative body.
7. Head of state (head). Such original form government is in the Iraqi state. Here, according to the constitution, an experienced person who has the appropriate training and certain personal qualities is appointed to the role of "leader". The powers of such a leader include the appointment of a date presidential elections and performing a number of other functions.
8. tribal chief- such a ruler is very exotic, but in terms of his legitimacy he is no different from the colleagues described above. The tribal chief is chosen by the people and leads his state. For example, the chief of Western Samoa is a lifelong ruler. After his death, a new president will be chosen.
The power of the head of state
Depending on the type of supreme ruler and the constitution, the functions of the head of state may vary. But there are also common features:
1. In the sphere government controlled the head of state has the right to declare a state of emergency (in part of the country or throughout the territory), act as commander in chief, participate in the formation of a new government structure (most often formally), the judiciary, make proposals to the country's financial and credit policy, banking legislation, and so on. Further. In the last two functions, the role of the head of state is often reduced to raising the issue of resignation.
2. In the field of legislative administration, the head of state can put forward various initiatives, call regular or early elections, dissolve the lower (sometimes upper) chambers, and convene parliament. In addition, the supreme ruler has the right to make proposals for changes in the legislative sphere, can promulgate (authorize, publish) laws, apply to constitutional control bodies if there are doubts about the authenticity of a particular law.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the head of state's right to, which can be:
- absolute (resolutive). In this case, the first person of the state has the right to categorically cancel any legislative decision. Parliament or other governing structure is not able to overcome such a veto;
-relative (suspensive). The head of the country has the right to impose a ban on any decision, but the parliament can overcome it with a certain number of votes;
- selective. The head of the country is given the right to veto only some separate decrees and laws. In this case, as a whole, he must approve the bill.
3.In the field of foreign policy the head of state represents the country in the external "arena", appoints ambassadors and other employees of diplomatic structures, conducts international negotiations, participates in the ratification of agreements and treaties (if approved by parliament), and, if necessary, declares war or peace.
4. In the field of domestic politics the head of state has the right to pardon, to award medals (orders and other awards), to restore (grant) citizenship, to confer titles (titles), to participate in holidays and major events (opening roads, schools, public institutions and so on).
Election of the head of state
In most countries of the world, there are two main types of leaders - the president and the monarch. Consider the features of their choice.
1. The President may be elected in several ways:
- by voting in parliament. Here the head of the country is chosen in Albania, Turkey, Hungary, Slovakia and other countries. In order to pass the first round, the applicant must gain an absolute majority, which is very rare with a large number of applicants. Most often, the right to vote is distributed among several main candidates. In the next round, the requirements may be less stringent. For example, in Slovakia, 2/3 of the votes of the members of parliament are required to elect the head of state. There is an opinion that the president elected by the parliament is "weak". In a way it is. Parliament is elected by the people, and the head of state is only elected by the representatives of power;
- by electoral vote. In this case, the voter votes for one of the electors. At the same time, the winners gather and determine the president from representatives of various parties. With this method of election, the president can be determined even before the electoral votes are counted. The head of state will be the one with the most electors. This form of choice is valid in the USA, Argentina and other countries;
- election of the supreme ruler(president) by an electoral commission, for example, the Federal Assembly in Germany, members of the upper and lower houses in India, collegiums of Italy (as a rule, it includes delegates of regional councils and members of the upper and lower houses);
By voting by the people (choice by voters). This is how the president is chosen in France, Mexico, Ukraine and a number of other countries. In some states, the president can be re-elected for a new term as many times as he likes (in France, Egypt). In a number of other countries, one person can be president no more than twice (USA, Germany). Also, the president is elected for two years in Argentina, then there are different terms of government. In the first case, the head of state is elected for 6 years, and the second - for 4 years. Such restrictions are introduced specifically to exclude various manifestations of authoritarianism.
2. The monarch, as a rule, receives his power by inheritance according to one of the systems of inheritance:
- salic. Only males can take the throne here. At the same time, the eldest son has the priority right to the throne. In turn, women are not allowed to rule. This form of choosing the head of state in Japan, Norway, Belgium. Moreover, in most countries, such a monarch performs the functions of a formal ruler. The main power is in the hands of the prime minister (for example, Japan);
- Castilian. In this form of inheritance, women, on an equal footing with men, receive the right to inherit the throne if the monarch had no sons. If the family has an older daughter and younger son, then preference is given to the second (Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain);
- Swedish. Women can inherit the throne equally with men. However, no preference is given to the male gender. So, in Sweden, the king has an eldest daughter and a younger son. In the event of the departure of the head of state, the reins of government are transferred into the hands of the daughter;
- Austrian. With this form of inheritance, women can receive the throne, but only if there were no male representatives in all generations. But this is only in theory. In practice, under the Austrian system, women had never yet occupied the throne;
- Muslim. The throne is inherited not by any particular person, but by the ruling dynasty (the whole family). At the same time, the right to choose a ruler lies with her. Such a system works in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and other countries. The family also has the right to remove the ruler in case of his unsuccessful activities and to appoint another head of state from the family;
- tribal. Here the king is the leader of the tribe. At the same time, only the tribal council can determine the future heir to the throne. The latter consists of the sons of the deceased (deceased) head of state.
After succession to the throne, the coronation ceremony takes place. If a minor ruler gets the throne, then with the consent of one of the relatives, the regent becomes an assistant to the head of state. The latter can be approved by parliament or appointed by the government. Sometimes a small council of 2-3 people can be formed.
Criteria for appointment as head of state
The most stringent requirements are imposed when choosing one of the forms of an individual head of state - the president:
1. The presence of citizenship. Some countries require that a presidential candidate be a citizen of their state from birth (Colombia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Estonia, and so on). Most often, certain restrictions are set - 5, 10, 15 years of citizenship of the country.
2. permanent residence on the territory of the state for a certain period of time before the election. For example, in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan it is 10 years, in Kazakhstan - 15, in Mongolia - 5 years.
3. Reaching a certain age(most often aged 35 and over). In Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and other countries - 35 years, in Estonia, Latvia, Greece - 40 years and so on.
4. Having the right to vote. By the way, not all citizens of the country may have such a right. Much depends on proficiency in the state language (Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan), higher education (Turkey, Azerbaijan), belonging to an indigenous nation (Turkmenistan, Syria), official religion (for example, Tunisia).
TASS-DOSIER. On July 13, 2016, Theresa May, who has so far held the post of British Home Secretary and has just been elected leader of the ruling Conservative Party, is to succeed David Cameron as Prime Minister. She will become the second woman at the head of the British government after Margaret Thatcher (she held this post in 1979-1990). The TASS-DOSIER editors have prepared material on countries in which women hold the highest government positions.
Read all about Brexit and its consequences in the TASS special project
There are currently 19 women heads of state and government. Among them are two queens, nine presidents, five prime ministers and three governors general. Most female leaders in Europe - eight, least of all in Oceania - one. In addition to the queens, the Governor-General of Saint Lucia, Perlette Luisi (since 1997), has been in the highest government post for the longest time.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, suspended from power, is the first woman president in history to be impeached (she is currently awaiting a final decision on the case).
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). In terms of the duration of being in power among all modern reigning persons, she is the second after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand (66 years old). Initiated numerous reforms of the British system of succession. The portrait of Elizabeth II is depicted on the banknotes of more than 30 countries. Husband - Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. There are four children in the family: Charles, Prince of Wales; Princess Anna; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
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, national associations for the fight against 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 Joachim.
Angela Merkel has been the Federal Chancellor of Germany since 2005, the first woman to hold this position. Three times in a row she was elected to the post of head of the German government. In 2016, for the 11th time, she topped the annual ranking of the most influential women according to the American Forbes magazine. Married to Joachim Sauer. The Chancellor has no children of his own.
Dalia Grybauskaite has been the President of Lithuania since 2009. She is the first woman in 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 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 and has a daughter.
Erna Solberg has been the Prime Minister of Norway since 2013. The second woman in this post in the history of the country and the first Prime Minister from the Conservatives since 1990. Her husband is Sindre Finnes. There are two daughters in the family.
Beata Szydło has been the President of the Council of Ministers of Poland since 2015. The third woman in this position in the history of the country. Married to Edward Shidlo, two sons.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic - President of Croatia since 2015. She became the youngest president (46 years old) and the first woman in this post in the history of the country. Spouse - Yakov Kitarovich. There are two children in the family - a son and a daughter.
Park Geun-hye has been the President of the Republic of Korea since 2013, the first woman in this post in the history of the country. Daughter of former President Park Chung-hee (1962-1979). For her role in the success of the conservative party "Senuri" in elections at various levels, she received the nickname "Queen of the Elections". Never 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 - second in history People's Republic Bangladesh female head of government (1996-2001, 2009-present). Daughter of Mujibur Rahman - the first prime minister (1972-1975) and president (1975) of the state. Survived more than 30 attempts, as a result of one of them (August 21, 2004), according to various estimates, from 19 to 24 people died. Widow, mother of two children.
Ellen Jamal Carney Johnson has been President of Liberia since 2006. The first female president in African history, the most elderly woman head of state or government (77 years). The only one among the current female heads of state is the Nobel Peace Prize winner (for her contribution to the non-violent struggle for the security and protection of women's rights and participation in peacekeeping, 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 to hold this position. Doctor of Chemistry, specialist in the study of the flora of the Mascarene Islands and its use in medicine and pharmacology. Author and editor-in-chief of more than 20 monographs and about 100 scientific articles. Married to Anwar Fakim, has a son and a daughter.
Sara Kugongelwa-Amadila has been the 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 she took 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 in 2000), during whose reign the Bahamas became an independent state (1973). Mother of four children.
Cecile La Grenada has been the Governor General of Grenada since 2013. The first woman to hold this post. By specialty - technologist of food products.
Perlette Louisi - 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 - Chile's first female president (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 Hine has been the 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 the only citizen of the Marshall Islands with a doctorate. Leads an active fight for the rights of women in Oceania. Founder of the advocacy group Marshall Islands Women's United. Her election was important event for all of Oceania, where women's participation in political life is still limited. Married, four children.
Every relatively old country has former or current leaders who are long-lived. Some of them, despite their serious age, still manage to govern the country, performing all the functions that even a young specialist can not cope with. In this regard, it is worth systematizing the list of the oldest heads of state in power.
Among the famous leaders in history, it is worth highlighting the Goth king Germanaric, who ruled the country at the age of a hundred years. His exact date of birth is not known, but during the years of his reign, he managed not only to realize a large number of seizures of nearby states, but also to expand their possessions several times. A competitor for him is also Pope Agathon, who died at the age of 104, having lost his throne only after his death. In addition, the list of the oldest leaders includes the hetman of the Zaporizhzhya Sich Pyotr Kalnyshevsky, he left the post at 94 years old. Among the long-ruling heads, the King of France, Louis XIV, stands out, having been on the throne for almost 75 years.
The oldest current ruler is Robert Mugabe, who has been president of Zimbabwe since early 1988. Known for his leadership in the Arfican Union - a fairly significant organization in Africa. By religion, Mugabe considers himself a Catholic, but has repeatedly stated the dangers of religion in society. He received his higher education as a teacher in the UK, after which he returned to his homeland and began to engage in political activities. He is famous all over the world for his "persecution of white farmers". In one of his early interviews, he even stated that he was ready to demand compensation from the UK and the US for years of black slavery. According to him, the times when Africans were subordinate to the British and the colonists were much worse than fascism and the Jewish Holocaust. In politics, Mugabe declares his commitment to socialism through the rejection of a market economy under the IMF program. He believes that only "hard" prices for essential products can force the population to obey the laws and work. Western critics repeatedly accused him of tyranny. Mugabe is the oldest current head of state on the planet since July 24, 2014.
In second place among the longest-reigning leaders is the British Queen Elizabeth II. She has been on the throne from 1952 to the present. Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. In addition to Great Britain, she is the queen of such countries as Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia , Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. In addition, she leads the Anglican Church and a number of other religious associations.
Elizabeth II is the oldest monarch in history. During her reign in the UK, there were a large number of turning points for the country, including the process of decolonization. During this time, there was also a long ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Elizabeth II has been repeatedly criticized due to her monarchist and radical views. Despite this, her popularity in the UK has enough high level. Under current law, Elizabeth II has virtually no rights in political matters, but the citizens of the country honor her on a par with the official president.
In third place in this rating is the current president of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi. He was born in the small town of Sidi Bou Said on the outskirts of the country in a family of ostrich farm owners. It is noteworthy that his great-grandfather Ismail Kaida Es-Sebsi, who was kidnapped by pirates in Sardinia. When the future president of Tunisia turned 18, he went with his family to Paris, where he lived for more than ten years. After that, he decided to return to his homeland and continue the work of his parents, but in the end he sold the farm. With the proceeds, he returned to Europe to get another higher education. Immediately after the proclamation of Tunisia as a republic on July 25, 1957, he took the post of head of the regional government. In 1962, he took part in the capture of 26 people who were preparing a coup d'état in Tunisia. In 1965, Es-Sebsi was appointed head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic, after which he began to actively move towards career ladder. After the first Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, he also became the republic's ambassador to Germany. He became the President of the country in 2014 after the next elections. He is currently 89 years old and remains in office as head of state.
It was today, October 13, that the oldest monarch in the world, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, died. The son of the late Maha Vajiralongkorn became the heir to the throne of the country. Now the title of the oldest monarch in the world has passed to Elizabeth II. The Thai king died in his chambers under the supervision of doctors. According to official information, the King was hospitalized and underwent hemodialysis. The king who died today is from Thailand's Chakri dynasty. Adulyadej came to the throne in 1946 after the death of his father. It is now known that the King of Thailand will be taken over by his son. It is noteworthy that during the reign of his father, Maha Vajiralongkorn managed to distinguish himself in the Western press thanks to his exquisite and extravagant outfits.
Alexander Pevtsov
A couple of centuries ago, in many countries of the world, a situation could well have arisen in which the head of state is an infant. Today, however, such options are unthinkable even in those few countries where the monarchy remains.
The post of head of state most often goes to an experienced and authoritative person. And these qualities, as you know, come with age. Meanwhile, there are leaders who, for one reason or another, came to power quite early. It is they who are today collected in our Top 10 youngest heads of state.
10. Victor Ponta
The Romanian Prime Minister was born in 1972 and was 40 years old when he took up his current post in 2012. Ponta is a lawyer by education, and during his career he managed to work as a prosecutor, including in the Supreme Court of Romania.
9. Tatiana Turanskaya
This year, the Prime Minister of Moldova will turn 41 years old. Despite the fact that Tatyana was born in Ukraine, she managed to work a lot and fruitfully for the benefit of the Moldavian Republic, whose government she eventually headed.
8. Arayik Harutyunyan
The Prime Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is only 39 years old. An economist by education, Harutyunyan worked at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and also held the position of branch manager of Armagrobank. The prime minister has been working in his current position since 2007, at the time of his appointment he was already 34 years old.
7. Joseph Muscat
The Prime Minister of Malta is 39 years old and took office in 2013. In this post, he replaced the 60-year-old Lawrence Gonzi, becoming the youngest prime minister in the history of the independent Republic of Malta.
6. Andry Razuelina
The 39-year-old politician is the President of the Supreme Transitional Administration of Madagascar. He is the head of state, having limited rights in legislation, but not limited in executive and judicial power.
5. Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson
The Prime Minister of Iceland was born in 1975 and was 38 years old when he took office. Gunnlaugsson is a hereditary politician, his father was repeatedly elected to parliament. The first step in the new post on the part of the prime minister was the suspension of negotiations on Iceland's accession to the EU.
4. Atifete Yahyaga
The President of the Republic of Kosovo is 38 years old. She took up her post in 2011. This charming woman previously held the post of Deputy Chief of Police with the high rank of Major General.
3. Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
The fifth king of Bhutan took the throne at the age of 27 after his father's abdication in 2006. Namgyal studied at colleges in the UK and the US and actively participated in international forums and conferences. Until 2011, Namgyal was considered the youngest ruler in the world.
2. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
In June 2013, the 33-year-old became the fourth Emir of Qatar. The prince was educated in Great Britain and actively participated in the government of the country during the years of his father's reign. The Emir devotes a lot of time to promoting sports in the country and even put forward the capital of Qatar as a candidate for hosting the Olympics.
1. Kim Jong Un
The youngest head of state is the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Labor Party of North Korea. Kim Jong Un inherited the reins of power from the deceased Kim Jong Il in December 2011 at the age of 29.
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 very recently.
heads of state
Bidhya Devi Bhandari - Nepal
Nepal's first female president has only been in office for three years. Bidhya Devi was able to complete her schooling while the girls of her generation did not have the opportunity to study. From a young age, she was fond of politics. Bidhya participated in demonstrations against the rule of the king, and after the overthrow of the monarchy in 2006, she was elected to the interim parliament. In the same year, a bill proposed by Bhandari was passed, which, for the first time in the history of Nepal, gave women a quota of 33% of the seats in parliament, as well as the right to inherit the property of their parents and the right to inherit the mother's citizenship by a child.
Halima Yacob - Singapore
In 2013, Halima became the first female parliament speaker in Singapore's history, and in 2017, the country's first female president. The post of head of state Halima received automatically, after all the other candidates were not allowed to run for elections due to non-compliance with the requirements. Career did not prevent Halima Yacob from getting married and having five children.
Queen Elizabeth II - Great Britain
This woman does not need to be introduced for a long time. Suffice it to say that she is the longest reigning monarch in British history. At the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, we were once again convinced that Elizabeth is holding up perfectly at 92. If you want to learn more about the life of Elizabeth and other members of the royal family, check out our selection of films.
Queen Margrethe II - Denmark
Queen Margrethe II has also been on the throne for a long time - 46 years. Among her ancestors are Russian princes - the granddaughter of Nicholas I Anastasia Mikhailovna. Margrethe studied military affairs, was a recruit for the women's section of the Air Squadron. Among the Queen's other hobbies is painting. In addition, together with her husband Prince Henrik, she translated several works by Simone de Beauvoir into Danish.
Dalia Grybauskaite - Lithuania
For the first time, Dalia Grybauskaite was elected president of Lithuania in 2009 - then she won 69.05% of the vote: a record number for all elections after the collapse of the USSR. In 2014, Grybauskaite was re-elected for a second term. She is the first female president in the history of Lithuania, as well as the first president to be 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 Government of Malta as Minister for Family Affairs and Social Solidarity. A year later, the country's prime minister recommended her for the presidency, and she was approved 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, the American Forbes placed her on the 78th line in the list of "100 most influential women." Kersti has four children: a son and daughter from his first marriage and two sons from his second.
Hilda Hein - Marshall Islands
Prior to becoming President, Hilda Hein was Minister of Education. It is not surprising - Hine is the first person in the Marshall Islands to receive a Ph.D. In 2016, she became the first female president in Pacific island history. True, she was the only candidate for this post. Hilda Hein founded a women's rights group.
Paula May Weeks - Trinidad and Tobago
Weeks was a lawyer and an appellate judge for the Turks and Caicos Islands. In January 2018, she became the first female president in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. Like Hilda Hein, Wicks 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 embracing the players of her country were very popular on the Internet. Grabar was praised for her simplicity, in particular for the fact that she flew to the championship on an ordinary passenger plane. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is the first female president of Croatia and the most popular politician in that country. She has been the head of state since 2015.
Heads of government and governors general
Prime Minister Theresa May - UK
Second woman in British history to lead a government. Prior to her election as Prime Minister, she was Minister for Women and Equality and Minister of the Interior. Theresa May is number two on the 2017 Forbes list of the most powerful women. In 2018, the magazine ranked her 14th in the overall list of the most influential people peace.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand
Jacinda became New Zealand's head of government in October 2017. She is the youngest female prime minister in the world. In June of this year, Jacinda Ardenrn gave birth to a daughter. Ardern supports same-sex marriage, liberalization of abortion and wants to legislate the reduction of greenhouse gases to combat global warming.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley - Barbados
Mia Mottley became the first woman to lead the government of Barbados. She was elected in May 2018. At 29, she was the youngest minister in the history of the country - 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 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 called her the most powerful leader in Europe.
Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdouttir - Iceland
Before entering politics, she worked as a journalist and taught at the university. Katrin is a feminist, she is also an active participant in the environmental movement.
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila - Romania
Viorica Dancila was Deputy of the Committee for agriculture and a member of the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee. On her initiative, women candidates received a quota of 30% in the elections to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of Romania.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic - Serbia
Ana Brnabic has 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, and equal rights activist Patsy Reddy became Governor General in 2016. Her appointment was seen as New Zealand's big step towards gender equality. Petsy actively advocates for gender, ethnic, cultural diversity in all areas 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 Cecil La Grenade - Grenada
Officer of the Order of the British Empire and Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. Since 2013, Cécile 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 at 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 powerful women in Barbados. Prior to her appointment as Governor General in January of this year, she was the first woman to be allowed to serve on the country's Court of Appeal.
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