17.12.1917-09.03.1918 (Acting) Evheniya Bohdanivna Bosch, Ukraine

21.07.1960-27.03.1965 Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka
29.05.1970-23.07.1977 
14.11.1994-10.8.2000 

Chairperson 1960-93 and 1993-2000 President of Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 1965-70 and 1988-94 Leader of The Opposition, 1976 Chairperson of the Association of Non Aligned Nations. As Prime Minister, she also held the posts as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance etc. She carried on her husband's policies of socialism, neutrality in international relations, and the active encouragement of the Buddhist religion and of the Sinhalese language and culture. In 1964 her coalition with the Marxist Lanka Sama Samaja Party caused dissension in her government, which was subsequently defeated in the general election of 1965. In 1970, however, her socialist coalition, the United Front, regained power, and as prime minister she pursued more radical policies. Her strategy, which included the nationalization of important industries, was nullified by repressive measures and failure to deal with ethnic rivalries and economic distress; in the election of July 1977 her party retained only 8 of 168 seats in the National Assembly and she was replaced as prime minister. In 1980 parliament expelled her and barred her from political office, but in 1986 the president granted her a pardon that restored her rights Before her appointment to Prime Minister in 1994, she was Senior Minister without Portfolio (Second in Cabinet) in her daughter, Chandrika's cabinet. She stepped down in August 2000 to let her daughter reorganize the cabinet ahead of elections; she died shortly after voting on election day. She was the widow of Solomon B., Premier of Ceylon 1956-59 until he was assassinated. Her father Mr. Ratwatte was a Senator. She is mother of three children. She lived (1916-2000).

19.01.1966-24.03.1977 Indira Gandhi, India
14.01.1980-31.10.1984 (†) 

President 1959-60 and 1966-77 Leader of the Congress Party. She was Minister of Information 1964-66 and member of Rajya Sabha 1964-67 and of Lok Sabha 1967-77, 1978 and 1980-84. In 1975 she declared a stated of emergency and ruled as a dictator. She lost the 1977-elections and imprisoned. After her release she was leader of Congress (I) 1978-84 and as Premier she also held posts of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance, Home Affairs etc. Killed by Sikh bodyguard. She was daughter of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (1947-64(†)), married to Feroze Gandhi in 1942. Her younger son Rajiv Ghandi was Prime Minister (1984-89(†)). She lived (1917-84).

17.03.1969-10.04.1974  Golda Meïr, Israel

Ambassador to USSR 1948-49, Minister of Labour 1949-56 and Minister of Foreign Affairs 1956-64, 1964-69 Secretary General and 1969-74 Leader of Labour. When she became Foreign Minister her last name was hebrewnized. She was born in Russia as Golda Mabovic and later immigrated to USA. Mother of two children and she lived (1898-1978).

03.01.1975-07.04.1976 Élisabeth Domitién, Central African Republic

As Premier Minister she was also Deputy Head of State and acted as President on occasions when President Bokassa was abroad. Also vice-President of the ruling Social Evolution Movement of Black Africa (MESAN) 1975-79. She criticized the plans of her cousin, Jean Bedel Bokassa, who had been chief of state since 1966, who wanted to become emperor, and in effect he sacked her. After his fall from power in 1979 she was imprisoned and tried in February 1980. She later became an influential businesswoman in Bangui, Married to the chief of the Mobaye Canton-Mayorship. She lived (1925-2005).

03.05.1979-22.11.1990 Margaret Thatcher, United Kingdom of Great Britain

MP 1959-90, Parliamentary Secretary of Pensions and National Insurance 1961-64, Secretary of State of Education 1970-74, Shadow Minister of Environment and Housing 1974-75, Shadow Special Minister of Finance and Public Expenditure 1975, Leader of The Conservative Party 1975-90, Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition 1975-79. As Prime Minister she was also First Lord of the Treasury and Minister of the Civil Service. Head of the European Communities Presidency - President of the European Council 1981 and 1986, she was President of the Group of Seven, G-7 all of 1984. Created Baroness Thatcher of Kestaven in 1990 and member of the House of Lords. Mother of twins. (b. 1925-).

01.08.1979-3.01.1980 Dr. Maria de Lourdes Ruivo da Silva Pintasilgo, Portugal

Secretary of State of Social Affairs 1974, Ambassador to UNESCO 1975-79, Minister of Social Affairs 1974-75,
 Member of Council of State 1979-86 and Presidential Candidate in 1986. Member of the European Parliament 
1979-86. Unmarried. She lived (1930-2004).

21.07.1980-14.06.1995 Dame M. Eugenia Charles, Dominica

Leader of Dominican Liberty Party 1964-94 and 1974-80 Leader of the Opposition. During her tenure as Premier she was also Minister of External Affairs, Finance, Trade and Industry, Defence, Minister of Information and Public Relations. In 1992 she was Knighted by Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, the former Head of State of Domenica. Unmarried and lived (1916-2005).

04.02.1981-14.10.1981  Gro Harlem Brundtland, Norway
09.05.1986-16.10.1989 
30.11.1990-25.10.1996 

Minister of Environmental Protection 1974-79, Deputy Leader 1975-81, Deputy Parliamentary Leader 1980-81, Leader 1981-93 and Parliamentary Leader, Parliamentary Leader of Arbeiderpartiet, Labour, 1980-81 and 1989-90 Chairperson of the Foreign and 1989-90 of the Finance Committees, 1998-2002 Director General of the World Health Organization, WHO, and Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations. In 1986 she appointed a world record number of women to the cabinet - 8 of 18. A medical doctor, daughter of Gudmond Harlem (1917-88) a former Minister and mother of 4 children. (b. 1939-).

15.05.1982-15.05.1986 Milka Planinc, Yugoslavia

Secretary of Treönjevka People’s Assembly 1957, Secretary   of Cultural Affairs of the City of Zagreb 1961-63, Croatian Secretary for Education 1963-65, President of Assembly 1967-71, Leader of the Communist Party in Croatia 1971-82. She lived (1924-2010).

02.12.1988-06.08.1990 Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan
19.10.1993-05.11.1996 

Co-Chairperson 1984-94 and Leader of Pakistan People's Party 1994-2007, in house arrest 1977-84 and in exile 1984-86. She also held the Portfolios of Defence, Atomic Energy, Finance, Economy, Information and Establishment. Both in 1990 and 1996 she was removed from office by the President on charges of corruption and later convinced. Returned to Pakistan in 2007 after 10 years in exile in United Kingdom and Dubai to contest elections in January 2008, which she was widely expected to win, but was killed by a suicide bomb in December 2007, her son and widower took over as party-leaders and in 2008 Asif Ali Zardari was elected president. She was daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the former President and Prime Minister, who was executed after the coup d’etat in 1979. Her three children were born in 1988, 1989 and 1993. She lived (1953-2007).

17.03.1990-10.01.1991 Kasimiera Prunskienė, Lithuania

Deputy Premier and Minister of Economy 1989-90 and one of the leaders of the struggle for independence. She became leader of the government after the declaration of independence at 11.3.90, which was internationally recognized at 6.9.91. In 1991 Chairperson of Democratic Party, and from 1995-2001 Chairperson of Women’s Party, 1996-2000 Group Chairperson of the independent MP’s, and Chairperson of the Peasants and New Democratic Parties Union 2001-04. Presidential Candidate in 2002 and 2004 and Minister of Agriculture 2004-08. (b. 1945-).

20.03.1991-30.03.1996 Begum Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh
01.09.2001-29.10.2006

Vice-Chairperson of The Nationalist Party 1982-84 and Leader since 1984. Her husband, President Zia-ur-Rahman, was Premier Minister 1976-77 and President 1977-81 until he was assassinated. Khaleda was detained seven times during nine years of autocratic rule. In the face of mass upsurge spearheaded by the seven-party alliance, led by Khaleda, and the eight-party combine, led by Sheik Hasina Wajed, Ershad resigned in 1990 and handed over power to neutral caretaker government, bringing an end to his nine-year autocratic rule. During her first tenure as Premier she was also Minister of Defence, Establishment, Cabinet Diversion and Planning, Information Energy and Resources. 1996-2001 Leader of the Opposition. Resigned in October 2006 to prepare for the elections later in the year, which was postponed because of unrests. Her sons, Tareque Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko were arrested on corruption charges in March and April 2007, and In September the same year she was herself charged with corruption and the military supported care-taker government tried to pressure her into exile. The charges against her was dropped in 2008. (b. 1945- )

15.05.1991-02.04.1992 Edith Cresson, France

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, External 1981-83, Trade 1983-84, Industry 1984-86, European Affairs 1988-90. She was European Union Commissioner for Science, Research, Education and Youth 1995-99. In march 1999 she brought along the downfall of the EU-Commission as she refused the step down after a rapport had demonstrated that she was responsible of nepotism and mismanagement. (b. 1934-).

As Minister President she was also Vice-President of the National Security Council. Member of Solidarity in 1980 and member of the Sejm 1982-85 and again 1989-2002 for various parties. 1991-97 member of Committee for Foreign Affairs and the Constitutional Committee. Vice-President of the Council of Europe 1991-92. In 1994 she was co-founder of the new Freedom Union (UW, liberal and social democratic) and member of it's leadership. The following year she was candidate in the party's primary for Presidential candidate, 1997-2000 Minister of Justice and Procurator-General. 1999 official Polish candidate for the office of the secretary general of the Council of Europe. Since 2002 Ambassador to the Vatican. Unmarried. (b. 1946-).

By the time of her appointment as Premier she was Head of the Economic Planning Office in the President’s Office. During the Civil War the President was killed and as the highest ranking remaining official, she became Acting President (27.10.93-5.2.94). After her resignation she left politics and joined the Burundi’s Commercial Bank. (b. 1952-).

25.06.1993-07.03.1996 Tansu Çiller, Turkey

Assistant Professor 1974-83 and 1983-90 Professor of Economics at Bosphorus University. Minister of State and Chief Economic Coordinator 1991-93, Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs 1996-97. She was Deputy Chairperson 1990-93 and 1993-2002 Chairperson of DYP, The True Path Party. On 1.6.97 Premier Minister Erbakan, leader of the Islamic Party resigned in order with the purpose of her taking over as Premier, but President Demirel chose Meshut Yilmaz, who managed to form a government among others because of defections from her party. Mother of two children. (b. 1946-).

25.06.1993-04.11.1993 A. Kim Campbell, Canada

Executive Director, Office of British Columbia Premier 1985-86, Progressive Conservative MP 1988-93, Minister of State (Indian Affairs and Northern Development) 1989-90, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General 1990-93 and Minister of Defence and Minister of Veteran Affairs in 1993. As Prime Minister, 1993, she was also Minister responsible for Federal-Provincial Relations. She was leader of the Progressive Conservative party, 13.06.1993-13.12.1993, resigning after the party lost all but two seats in the House of Commons in the 1993 election in spite of gaining about 16% of the vote. She became a lecturer at Harvard University and has been Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles since 1996. Married with a stepdaughter. (b. 1947-).

18.07.1993-07.05.1994 (†) Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Rwanda 

Minister of Education from 1992 till her appointment as Premier. On the 06.05 1994 the Hutu President Habyarimana was killed together with his Burundian colleague, Cyprien Ntaryamira, when their plane was rocketed on its way to Kigali airport. Agathe, a Hutu, was killed by the Tutsi Presidential guard together with her family and 10 Belgian soldiers, the day before she was supposed to step down as Premier Minister. The two killings sparked off the civil war and genocide of approximately 1 million Hutus and Tutsies. Mother of about 6 children. She lived (1953-94).

16.10.1994-25.01.1995  (Interim) Reneta Ivanova Indzhova, Bulgaria

Also know as Reneta Injova she was leader of an interim government consisting of technocrats. Her Deputy Premier, Minister of Economy and Finance was Hristina Vucheva. In 1995 she was mayoral candidate in Sofia, 2001 Presidential Candidate and the same year she became Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance. (b. 1953-).

19.8.1994-14.11.1994 Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka

Chief Minister of the Western Province before becoming Prime Minister. After a few months she became President, and later appointed her mother, Sirivamo Bandaranaike, to her third term as Prime Minister. She was President 1994-2005. (1945-).

An economist, she became Minister of Social Affairs 1990-91, Minister of Foreign Affairs 1993-95 and was Executive Director of the Washington Office of Haiti 1993. Later an UN official. (b. 1946- ),

23.06.1996-15.7.2001 Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh
06.01.2009- Prime Minister

Her father, Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1920-72-75), and most of her family was killed during a military coup in 1975 when she and her sister were abroard. Returned to Bangladesh in 1981, President of the Awami Leauge from 1981, Opposition Leader 1986-87 and 1991-96 and 2001-06. In 1983, she formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust General Ershad from power and was in and out of prison throughout the 1980s and was under house arrest a few times. Her party, along with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Begum  Khaleda Zia, was instrumental in the movement against the military rule. 2007 she was arrested on corruption and murder charges, but was allowed to go to USA for medical treatment in 2007 though the military supported care-taker government tried to pressure her into exile. Returned in November 2008 to lead her party in the election campaign, which her party won overwealmingly. Married to the nuclear scientist Dr M. A. Wazed Miah and mother a son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and a daughter, Saima Wazed Putul, who both lives in the USA. (b. 1947- ).

17.03.1997-22.12.1997 Janet Jagan, Guyana

As Premier Minister she also held the title of 1. Vice-President and she was Minister of Mines. Her political career started in 1950 and she held many positions. In 1997 her husband, Dr. Cheddi Bharat Jagan, died, and she was chosen to replace the Premier who succeeded Mr. Jagan as President. Janet was chosen as her party's candidate in the following Presidential elections, which she won. Afterwards she re-appointed the former President to the post of Prime Minister after being sworn in as President. She was born as Janet Rosenberg in Chicago and mother of two children, and lived (1920-2009).

08.12.1997-10.12.1999 Jenny Shipley, New Zealand

Minister of Women's Affairs 1990-98, Social Affairs 1990-93, Minister of Health 1993-96, Transport, State Services and State-Owned Enterprises, Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance 1996-97. As Premier she was also Minister in charge of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service. She ousted then Prime Minister Jim Bolger as leader of the National Party and after his resignation she became leader of the government. 1999-2001 she was Leader of the Opposition. Mother of two children. (b. 1952-).

31.08.1998-23.09.1998 (Acting) Anne Enger Lahnstein, Norway

Acting Premier during Kjell Magne Bondevik's sick leave because of stress and psychological problems. She was Deputy Leader 1983-91, Parliamentary Leader, 1989-91 and Leader of The Centre Party 1991-99. 1. Deputy to the Prime Minister and Minister of Culture of the centre-right-government 1997-99, Vice Chairperson of the Defence Committee of Stortinget 1999-2001 and Governor of Østfold since 2003. (b. 1950-).

03.05.1999-10/18.05.1999 (Acting) Irena Degutiené, Lithuania
27.10.1999-03.11.1999 (Acting)

Medical Doctor, 1994-97 Vice-Minister of Health and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs 1997-2000, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas 2008-09 and Speaker from 2009. (b. 1949-).

22.07.1999-30.07.1999 (Acting) Tuyaa Nyam-Osoryn, Mongolia

A former journalist and director in the Foreign Ministry, she was Minister of Foreign Affairs 1998-2000 and appointed acting Premier after her predecessor's resignation. (b. 1958-).

10.12.1999-19.11.2008 Helen Clark, New Zealand

MP since 1981. Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committee 1984-87, Minister of Housing and Conservation 1987-89, Deputy Premier and Minister of Labour and Health 1989-90, Deputy Leader of Labour and of the Opposition 1990-93 and Leader of Labour 1993-2008 and Leader of the Opposition 1993-99. As Prime Minister she also held the Portfolio of Arts and Culture and Security Intelligence Service and Ministerial Services and Acting Foreign Minister in 2008. , Head of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP from 2009. In 1981 she married Dr. Peter Davis. No children. (b. 1950-).

03.10.2002-16.07.2003 Maria das Neves Ceita Batista de Sousa, Republic of São Tomé e Príncipe
23.07.2003-18.09.2004

Maria das Neves worked as a civil servant in the Ministry of Finance and in the African Development Bank. 1999-2001 Minister of Economics, Agriculture, Fisheries, Commerce and Tourism, 2001-02 Minister of Finance and 2002 Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. On 16th of July 2003 she was detained during a military coup d'etat but on the 23rd the government was reinstated. The following year she was dismissed after aaccusations of corruption. (b. 1958-).

28.06.2003-15.12.2003 Dr. Beatriz Merino Lucero, Peru

 

Senator 1990-92, Member of the Congress 1995-2000, Vice-Presidential Candidate 2000 and Superintendent of the National Tax Administration before becoming a very popular President of the Council of Ministers, until she was sacked by the extremely unpopular President. (b. 1949-).

17.02.2004-16.01.2010 Luísa Días Diogo, Moçambique  

Head of Department in the Ministry of Finance 1986-89, National Budget Director 1982-89 in Ministry of Planning and Finance, worked in World Bank 1993-94. 1994-2000 Vice-Minister and Minister of Planning and Finance 2000-05. Mother of three children. (b. 1958-).

03.05.2005-22.06.2005 (Acting) Cynthia A. Pratt, The Bahamas

Appointed Acting Prime Minister when the incumbent suffered a minor stroke and stepped aside from his duties, but she has acted on a number of occasions before, when he was abroad. She is also known as "Mother" Pratt. As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Security 2002-07 she was  in charge of the Defence Force and Police. She was Opposition Whip Ca. 1992-2000 and from ca. 2000 Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Progressive Liberal Democratic Part. A former nurse, she is mother of 6 children (b. 1945-).

22.11.2005- Angela Merkel, Germany

1990 Deputy Spokesperson of the Government of the DDR, 1990-98 Deputy Chairperson of CDU, 1991-94 Federal Minister Women and Youth and 1994-98 Federal Minister of Environment, Protection of Nature and Reactor Safety, 1993-2000 Chairperson of CDU in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 1998-2000 Federal Secretary General and since 2000 Federal Chairperson of CDU and 2002-05 also Parliamentary Leader, Chairperson of the European Council and President of the Group of Eight, G-8 in 2007. Née Kasner and married secondly to Joachim Sauer, no children. (b. 1954-).

30.03.2006-11.09.2007 Portia Simpson-Miller, Jamaica
05.01.2012-

Since 1976 MP, 1976-82 Parliamentary Secretary of the Prime Minister, Deputy President of People's National Party 1978-2006 and President from 2006. Minister of Labour, Social Welfare and Sports 1989-2000, Candidate for the party leadership and Premiership in 1992, Minister of Tourism, Entertainment, Sports and Women’s Affairs 2000-02 and Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport 2002-06. Acting Prime Minister on various occasions whenever the chief of government was out of the country. 2006-2007 and from 2012 also Minister of Defence and a number of other portfolios. Opposition Leader 2007-11. (b. 1946-).

19.04.2006-07.03.2007 Han Myung-sook, South Korea

During the years of the military dictatorship, she started her career as a social activist in the South Korea Christian Academy and was a political prisoner 1979-81. Master in Christian Theology and Women's Studies and B.A. in French. MP from 2000. Minister of Gender Equality 2001-03 and Minister of Environment 2003-04. She resigned to run as candidate in the Uri-party internal primaries but soon after the party merged with other parties into the United New Democratic Party, which chose a male presidential candidate. (b. 1944-).