Currently, 16 European countries or territories have a woman as head of government or state, with the exception of monarchs, in addition to the European Commission itself, which is chaired by Ursula von der Leyen. This is the list of women at the helm, supplemented by the name of Liz Truss, who was appointed as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom this Monday.
Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon has become the first woman to hold the position of Head of the Independent Government of Scotland since November 2019.
France
Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister since May 16, is the second woman in France to hold that position, 30 years after Edith Cresson.
Greece
Former judge Katerina Sakellaropoulou, elected President of Greece in January 2020, is the first woman to hold this essentially ceremonial position. In 2018, she became the first woman to head the country’s highest court.
Sweden
The Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson became the first woman to become the head of the Swedish government in November 2021, under extreme circumstances.
Seven hours after her election, she had to resign because her budgets had not been approved and environmentalists had left the government. Four days later, she was re-elected prime minister in parliament.
Denmark
Following her victory in the parliamentary elections, Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen formed a government in June 2019, becoming the youngest prime minister in the country’s history at the age of 41.
Finland
Much talked about lately by some controversies in her private life, Social Democrat Sanna Marin became the youngest head of government in the world on December 10, 2019, at the age of 34.
Iceland
Katrin Jakobsdottir became the country’s second female prime minister in November 2017.
Estonia
Lithuania
Independent Ingrida Simonyte has been Prime Minister since December 2020, appointed by the Conservative Party after the parliamentary elections.
Slovakia
Liberal lawyer and anti-corruption activist Zuzana Caputova, sworn in on June 15, 2019, is Slovakia’s first female president.
Hungary
Katalin Novak was named President of Hungary in March and is the first woman to hold this honorary position.
Georgia
Former French diplomat Salome Zurabishvili, elected in November 2018, is Georgia’s first female president.
Serbia
Ana Brnabic, an openly gay woman, was appointed prime minister in June 2017 in a country with a strong traditionalist heritage. She has since been re-elected twice.
Kosovo
Reform lawyer Vjosa Osmani was elected president in April 2021.
Moldavia
Maia Sandu was elected president of Moldova in November 2020, whose prime minister is also a woman, Natalia Gavrilita.
Source: DN
