Female Presidents
FEMALE PRESIDENTS
and Woman Premier Ministers
06.04.1940-11.10.1944 Head of State Khertek Anchimaa-Toka, People's Republic of              Tannu Tuva
As Chairperson of the Presidium of              the Parliament, the Little Hï¿½ral,              Khertek    Amyrbitovna was              the Head of the state which became              Independent in 1921, a People's Republic in 1926, was incorporated              into the Soviet Union in 1944. She had held various jobs in local administration              and the party administration, Chairperson of the Women Department of the Central Committee of  the Tuvinian People's Revolutionary Party 1938-1940. Married to the First Secretary of the TPRP, Salchak Kalbakkhorekovich Toka in 1940, Deputy Chairperson of Oblast              Executive Committee 1944-1961 and Deputy    Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Tuva 1961-1972. She lived (1912-2008).
31.10.1968-24.02.1972 Acting Head of State Song Qingling, China
06.07.1976-05.03.78 Joint Acting Head of State
1979-1980 "Honorary President"
Born into a rich Christian family, she was educated in the USA. In              1927-29 Member of Government Council, 1929-49 Leader of Opposition              against her brother-in-Law President Chiang Kai-chek and 1948              Honorary Chairperson of the Kuomintang, 1949-54 Deputy Premier              Minister, 1954-59 Vice-Chairperson of The Peoples' Republic (Deputy              Head of State), 1954-76 and 1975-78 Vice-Chairperson of the National              People’s Congress, Vice-Chairperson of China People’s Consultative              Consultative Conference, CPPCC. In 1968-74 the Post of Chair of the              Republic was vacant and she and the other Vice-Chairperson, Dong Bow              shared the Presidential Powers. In 1976 the Chairman of the NPC died              and the 21 vice-chairmen, including Song, acted as collective heads              of state until 1978 when a replacement was elected. 1980 she was              Chairperson of the 3rd Session of the National People’s Congress.              Soong Qingling was widow of Sun Yat-Sen, Provisoric President of              China in 1911. Her sister Soong May-ling (b. 1897) played a crucial              role as wife of Chiang Kai-chek, President of China till 1945 and of              Taiwan 1945-75. And her brother, T. V. Soong, was Premier Minister              in Taiwan. A third sister was a business magnate. She lived              (1893-1981).
01.07.1974- 24.03.1976 Executive President Maria Estella Martï¿½nez de Perï¿½n, Argentina 
Isabel Peron was Vice-President and President of the Senate 1973-74.              As Executive President she was also head of the Cabinet. Chairperson              of Partido Justicial, The Peronist party 1974-85, removed by a coup              d'ï¿½tat and in Prison 1976-78, Exile in Spain 1981-93. She was              married to General Juan Peron, who was President two times. (b.              1931-).
17.11.1979-18.07.1980 Interim Executive President Lydia Gueiler              Tejada, Bolivia 
As President she was also Head of the Cabinet. Lidia Gueiler was              member of Parliament 1956-64 and afterwards in exile for 15 years.              Circa 1978 Subsecretary for Agriculture, 1978 President of Camera de              Diputados. Acting President of the Congress and acting Deputy Head              of State 1978-79.She was President of Partido Revolucionario de los              Izquierda Nazional Gueiler 1979-94, Exile in France 1980-82,              Ambassador in Embassy to West Germany 1982-83, and to Venezuela              1983-86 and since 1993 She was deposed by the 129th Coup              d'ï¿½tat in the history of Bolivia, shortly before elections was due.              She lived (1921-2011).
01.08.1980-01.08.1996 President Vigdï¿½s Finnbogadï¿½ttir, Iceland 
In 1972-80 Director of Iceland’s National Theatre was the world’s              first democratically elected female President. Since 1996 she has              been involved in a wide range of international humanitarian and              cultural organizations. She was a divorcee and mother of an adopted              a daughter. (b.1930-).
01.04-01.10.1981 Captain Regent Maria Lea Pedini Angelini, San              Marino 
Every 6th month The Consiglio Grande e Generale elects two Captain              Regents, who acts as heads of State and Government and as Chairmen              of the Consiglio Grande e Generale. From circa 1991 she has been              Director in Ministry of Government and Foreign Affairs, since 1995              Ambassador in the Ministry to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland              etc. (b. 1954- ).
15.02.1982-15.02.1987 President Agatha Barbara, Malta 
Labour M.P 1947-82 and for long periods the only woman in              Parliament. Minister of Education and Culture 1955-58 and              1971-74 Labour, Welfare and Culture (Third in Cabinet) 1974-81. In              the last period she was Acting Prime Minister on various brief              occasions. She resigned as President 2 years ahead of time because              Labour lost the 1987-elections. She lived (1923-2002).  
01.04.1984-01.10.1984 and 01.10.1989-01.04.90 Captain Regent              Gloriana Ranocchini, San Marino 
Member of the Parliament. (b. 1957-).
14.05-16.05.1984 Acting Head of State Carmen Pereira, Guinea Bissau 
Has been Member of the African Party for the Independence              of Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) since 1962 and              later Political Commissioner for the Southern Front, and only female              member of the 24 members Committee Executivo da Luta (CEL). In              1973-84 Deputy President of Assemblï¿½ia Nacional Popular, 1975-80              President of the Parliament of Cap Verde (which was in union with              Guinea Bissau at the time) 1981-83 Minister of Health and Social              Affairs 1984-89 President of Assemblï¿½ia Nacional Popular, 1989-94              Member the Council of State and 1990-91 Minister of State (Deputy              Premier) for Social Affairs. She acted as head of state after Joï¿½o              Bernardo Viera, Head of state since 1980, was elected President in              1984. In 1999 he was deposed after a military coup d'ï¿½tat. (b.              1937-).
25.2.1986-30.06.1992 Executive President Maria Corazï¿½n Sumulong              Cojuangco Aquino, The Philippines  
Cory Aquino became leader of the opposition after the murder of her              husband Ninoi Aquino in 1986, and was brought to power by the              so-called "People Power", which protested about President Marcos's              attempts to remain in power. She was also Head of the Cabinet. 1998              among the senior advisors of the new President Estrada. During her              term in office she fought off 8 attempted coup d'ï¿½tats.              Constitutionally barred from running for re-election. Mother of 4              children. She lived (1933-2009).
13.03.1990-07.02.1991 Acting President Ertha Pascal-Trouillot,              Haiti 
She was the first female High Court Judge 1986-90, and became acting              President during the turbulent political situation in Haiti in a              period where one Coup d'ï¿½tat followed the other. She was held              hostage on one occasion by soldiers attempting a coup. (b. 1943-).
05.04.1990-02.10.1990 Acting Head of State Dr. Sabine Bergmann-Pohl,              East-Germany 
As President of the People's Chamber she was acting as the last Head              of State of the German Democratic Republic, DDR/GDR before the              reunification. After the reunification she was Federal Minister              without Portfolio for the New Bundesstates 1990-91, Parliamentary              State Secretary of Health 1991-98 and member of the Bundestag              1998-2002. Mother of two children.  (b. 1946-).
25.04.1990-10.01.1997 Executive President Violeta Barrios de              Chamorro, Nicaragua
In 1979 Doï¿½a Violeta was member of the Ruling Junta after the overthrow of the Somoza-dictatorship but left because of              disagreement with the Sandinistas. Between 1979-90 Publisher of the              opposition newspaper La Prensa after the murder of her husband,              opposition leader Joaquï¿½n Chamorro Cardenal. As Executive President              she was also Head of the Cabinet and Minister of Defence. She did              not run for re-election. (b. 1929- ).
03.12.1990-12.09.1997 President Mary Robinson, Ireland 
In 1969 she was appointed Professor of Law, 1970-90 she was     Labour-senator. She did not run for re-election. From 1997 she              has been Assistant Secretary General and United Nations High              Commissioner of Human Rights. Mother of two children. (b. 1944-).
01.10.1991-01.04.1992 Captain Regent Edda Ceccoli, San Marino 
Member of the leadership of Partito Democratico Cristano Sammarinese.
01.04.1993-01.10.1993 Captain Regent Patrizia Busignani, San Marino 
1983-90 President of Partito Socialista Unitario. From around 1997              she was Chief of the Parliamentary Group of Socialisti per le              Riforme. In March 2006 she was candidate for              the post for the period starting in April 2006.
27.10.1993-05.02.1994 Acting Head of State Sylvie Kinigi, Burundi 
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-).
14.11.1994-19.11.2005 Executive President Chandrika Bandaranaike              Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka 
Vice-President 1984-86 and President of Sri Lanka Maha Jana              Party 1984-86, Leader of United Socialist Alliance 1988 and since              1993 Leader of People’s Alliance and Deputy Leader of Sri Lanka              Freedom Party, 1993-94 Chief Minister of the Colombo Province and in              a few months in 1994 Prime Minister.             As Executive President she was also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed              Forces and held the Portfolio of Defence and Finance and Planning              1994-2001 and was Minister of Defence, Information and Interior from              November 2003. She is the first person in the world to be daughter              of two premier ministers, Solomon and Sirivamo Bandaranaike and the              first to have appointed her mother to the post of Prime Minister.              Her husband politician Vijaya K. was assassinated 1988, and during              the Presidential campaign in 2000 she survived an              assassination-attempt but lost vision in one eye. She was not              allowed to stand for re-election in 2005. She is mother of 2              children. (b. 1945-).
03.09.1996-02.08.1997 Chairman of the Council of State Ruth               Perry, Liberia 
Ruth Sando  Fahnbulleh Perry was a senator 1985-96. Appointed to chair the Council of State preparing              the transfer to democracy after many years of civil war. From 1999              Ruth Perry was 1. Vice-Chairperson of the Organization for African              Unity. She lived (1939-2017).
09.02.1997-11.02.1997 Acting Executive President Rosalia Arteaga              Serrano de Fernï¿½ndez de Cï¿½rdova, Ecuador
A              former minister, she was Vice-President 1994-98 and Presidential              Candidate in 1998. She was inaugurated as Acting President after her              predecessor was removed from office but two days after the Congress              nominated someone else. As Executive President she was also Head of              the Cabinet. Presidential Candidate in 1997. (b. 1953-).
11.11.1997-11.11.2011 President Mary McAleese, Ireland 
Professor of Law and 1993-97 Pro-chancellor of University of Belfast, the first person from Northern Ireland to be elected President of Ireland. During the 1997-elections 5 candidates were female and there was only one token male candidates finishing a distant last. 2004 she              was returned unopposed for a second term. (b. 1951-).
19.12.1997-11.08.99 Executive President Janet Jagan, Guyana 
Her country's first white and first female President and was              executive President but worked together with the Prime Minister.              1950-90 she held leading posts in the Progressive People's Party,              PPP, 1953 Deputy President of the National Assembly, 1954 imprisoned              by the British authorities for her activities for independence              1957-61. Minister of Labour, Health and Housing, 1963-64 Minister of              Home Affairs (Senator), 1973-97 Editor-in-Chief of The Mirror, 1993              Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In 1997 her              husband, President Dr. Cheddi Bharat Jagan, died, and she was chosen              to replace the Premier, who had become President. Janet was chosen              as her party's candidate in the following Presidential elections.              She was in office until July 1999 when she suffered a mild hart              attack and chose to resign from her post 3 years ahead of time. Born              as Janet Rosenberg in Chicago, mother of two children and lived (1920-2009).
01.01.1999-31.12.1999  President of the Confederation Ruth Dreifuss, Switzerland 
A              former trade union-leader, she was Councillor of Interior in              1992-2002 and Vice-President 1998-99. (b. 1939-).
01.04.1999-01.10.1999 and 01.04.2008-01.10.2008 Captain Regent Rosa Zafferani, San Marino 
Director in the Department of Finance, Budget and Programs before              she was elected to the Consiglio Grande e Generale in 1998.              Secretary of State of Health, Social Security and Provision 2002-04,              Secretary of State of Public Education, University and Cultural              Institutions from 2004 and 2005-06 also in charge of Internal              Affairs. (b.              1960 in USA).
08.07.1999-08.07.2007 President Vaira              Vīķe-Freiberga, Latvia
Born in Latvia and grew up in refugee camps in              Germany, went to school in French Morocco, University studies in              Canada. Retired from the Universite de Montreal in 1998, after being              a professor of psychology there since 1965 and involved in various              scientific and administrative committees, among others as              Vice-Chairperson of the Science Council of Canada. She moved to              Latvia as Director of the newly created Latvian Institute in Riga.              Candidate for the Post of Secretary General of the United Nations in              2006. Married to her fellow countryman, Imants Freibergs, also exiled in              Canada, who moved to Latvia in October 1999. Mother of a son and a              daughter. (b. 1937-).
01.09.1999-01.09.2004 Executive President Mireya Moscoso Rodrï¿½gez,              Panama 
Since 1991 President of the Arnolfist Party (now Panameï¿½ista), 1994 Presidential              Candidate. As Executive President she is also head of the Cabinet,              and she is the first female President to have officially appointed a              First Lady - her sister, Ruby Moscoso de Young. She was              constitutionally barred from running for re-election. Mireya was              first married to President Arnulfo Arias Madrid (1901-88) who              was President of Panama 1940-41, 1949-51 and 1968. Married to Mr.              Gruber 1991-97 and mother of an adopted a child. (b. 1946-).
01.03.2000-01.03.2012 President Tarja Halonen, Finland 
Member of Parliament 1979-2000, 1984-87 Chairperson of the Social              Affairs Committee and Member of the Presidium of the Parliament,              1987-1990 Second Minister of Health and Social Affairs (Health              Minister) and 1989-1991 Minister of Nordic Co-operation, 1989-91              Co-leader of Soumen Sosialidemokraattinen Pulolue, The Social              Democrats. 1990-1991 Minister of Justice 1995-2000 Minister of              Foreign Affairs. The position as President is very powerful -              especially concerning foreign politics. Mother of one daughter. In              August 2000 she married her partner trough a decade, Pentti Arajï¿½rvi.              They did not live together before they moved into the Presidential              palace. Mother of one daughter. (b. 1943-).
01.04.2000-01.10.2000 Capitano Reggente Maria Domenica Michelotti,              San Marino 
Former lecturer at San Marino University and Member of the Consiglio              Grande e Generale since 1998.  She is widow and her married name was              Casadei Michelotti. Mother of two girls (b. 1952-).
20.01.2001-30.06.2010 Executive President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, The              Philippines 
As executive GMA is also Head of the Cabinet. 1987-1989 she was              Assistant Secretary and 1989-92 Undersecretary of Trade and Industry              and Senator 1992-98. Secretary of Social Development and              Welfare 1998-2000 and The President charged her with the leadership              of the Cabinet Meetings. In 2000 she resigned from her cabinet-post              after President Estrada was accused of accusations. In January 2001              he was forced to vacate the presidency and she succeeded him. 2002              and 2003 also Minister of Foreign Affairs and 2003 and 2006-07 Minister              of Defence. 2004 she was re-elected to the post of President.              In 2011 she was arrested on charges for electoral fraud. Daughter of the late President Diosdado Macapagal and Dr. Evangeline              Macaraeg-Macapagal, mother of two sons and a daughter (b. 1947-).  
23.07.2001-20.10.2004 Executive President Megawati Sukarnoputri,              Indonesia
When Megawati Setyawati Soekarnoputri became leader of the              Democratic Party in 1993, she triggered the opposition against              President Quarto. In 1999 her party won the most seats in the              Parliament, but Abdulrahman Wahid was elected President. This caused              serious riots all over the country and she was elected              vice-President the following day. In August 2000 the ailing              President Wahid charged her with the running of the daily business              of the government and state and she chaired the cabinet meetings. At              the 23rd of July he was ousted and she inaugurated as President. In              2004 she lost her bid for re-election. Ibu Mega, as she is known, is              daughter of Indonesia's founding father Sukarno, is married for the              3rd time and mother of 3 children. (b. 1946-).
30.12.2002-04.02.2004 Acting President Natasa Micic, Serbia 
As President of the Assembly since 2001, she became Acting President              since the attempt to elect a President failed twice. She continued              her duties as Chairperson of the Parliament.  (b.1965-).
  
01.10.2003-31.03.2004 Capitano Reggente Valeria Ciavatta, San Marino
01.04.2014-10.10.2014 Capitano Reggente
Member of the Grand and General Council for the Alianza Populare              since 1993 and Chairperson of the Council Group  2002-05, Party              President 2006, Minister of Minister of Internal Affairs and Civil Protection and Accomplishment              of the Programme 2006-12. As              Captain Regent, she was joint head of a state with a man, and also President of the Parliament and Head of Government. Mother of twins. (b. 1959-).
 
23.11.2003-25.01.2004 Acting Executive President Nino Burjanadze,              Georgia
25.11.2007-20.01.2008 Acting Executive President
As Chairperson of the Parliament 2001-08, she took over after              former President Eduard Shevardnadze             was forced to resign as result of a "velvet revolution" after he              rigged the parliamentary elections and in 2007 she aced as President     again as the incumbent, Mikheil Saakashvili,     resigned to run in the January 2008-elections. President of              Burjanadze-Democrats 2003-08 and of Democratic Movement - United Georgia since 2008 and     Presidential Candidate in 2013. Her full name is Nino Anzoris  asuli Burjanadze, and her surname is     also transcribed     as Burdzhanadze.              Mother of two children. (b. 1964-).
06.07.2004-08.07.2004 Member of the Joint Acting Presidency Barbara Prammer,              Austria
As Vice-President of the National Assembly she assumed the              Presidential duties together with the two other members of the              Presidium, when the outgoing President died two days before his              successor was to take office in July. She was a former Federal              Minister, President of the Nationalrat from 2006 until her death and     a leading member of the Social Democrats of Austria, SPï¿½ She lived (1954-2014)
  
01.04.2005-01.10.2005 Capitano Reggente Fausta Simona Morganti, San              Marino
In 1974 she was one of the first three women elected to the              Consiglio Grande e Generale. 1978-83 and 1988-92 Minister of State              of Culture, Education and Justice, In the late 1990s Leader in              Partito Progressista Democartico Sammarinese and Chief of the              Parliamentary Group from around 1997 to 2002 and then again later in              2002 and Secretary of State of Public Education, Universities,              Cultural Institutions and Social Affairs in 2002. (b. 1944-).
16.01.2006- Executive President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia
1972-73 and 1977-79 Secretary of State of Finance, 1979-80 Minister              of Finance, 1980 President of the National Bank, 1980-85 worked for              the World Bank, 1985-86 in house arrest after her return, 1990-92              Leading member of exile-government of Amos Sawyer in United States              of America, 1992-97 African Director of the UNDP (United Nations              Development Program). From 1997 Leader of the Unity Party.              Presidential Candidate in 1997, Candidate for the Chairmanship of              the National Transitional Government in 2003 and finally won the              presidential elections in November 2005. She is divorced, mother of              a number of children, and grandmother. (b. 1938-).
11.03.2006-11.03.2010 Executive President Michelle Bachelet Jeria, Chile
11.03.2014- Executive President
2000-02 Minister of Health and 2002-04 Minister of Defence. Her              father, a general, was killed by the Pinochet dictatorship. Her              boyfriend was also detained, tortured and disappeared. She and her              mother were also detained and tortured and afterwards lived in exile              in Australia and East Germany. She returned to Chile in 1979 and              worked for various NGOs helping children of the tortured and              disappeared. She had two children with her first husband and a              daughter with her former partner. (b. 1952-).
01.01.2007-31.12.2007 President of the Confederation Micheline Calmy-Rey,         Switzerland
01.01.2011-31.12.2011 President of the Consideration
Former President of the Socialist         Party of Gï¿½nï¿½ve, she was President of the Grand Conseil of Gï¿½nï¿½ve 1993, Councillor of Finance 1997-2002, Vice-President of the Cantonal Government 2000-01 and  President of the Cantonal Government 2001-02. Federal Foreign Minister 2003-11 and Vice-President        in 2006 and 2010. Eveline     Widmer-Schlumpf was elected Vice-President for 2011, the first time two     women would fill the two highest post in the country. (b. 1945-).