The oldest heads of state in the world. Female current heads of state Surnames of presidents of all countries

The presidential rating is, of course, a very subjective list compiled by sociologists and political scientists in almost every major country. But still, it reflects the main trends in such a changeable area. Disputes often arise on the basis of which to make such a rating. American presidents, for example, are always judged by polls. One of the objective criteria is the level of wages. The list presented to you estimated the income of the heads of state in 2016.

Francois Hollande

Now the ex-leader of France was in the 8th place in the ranking of presidents at the end of last year. He headed one of the largest European countries for 5 years, since 2012.

During his reign, he did a lot to remain in the memory of the people. For example, he approved a bill on same-sex marriages. In addition, he took another step demonstrating European tolerance: he allowed same-sex partners to adopt children. It is worth noting that the expansion of the rights of sexual minorities was one of the main points of the election program of Hollande and his supporters in the party. In this they kept their word.

True, not all Frenchmen agreed with such a policy. Due to the legalization of same-sex marriage, numerous protest rallies and demonstrations took place across the country. This was especially not liked by the right-wing parties that found themselves in opposition, and the Catholic Church.

In the ranking of presidents, the position of the head of France is usually much lower, but by the end of his term, Hollande became an extremely unpopular politician in his homeland. His trust rating has fallen to a record 12%, making him one of the most unpopular French presidents ever. In addition, last year parliament threatened him with impeachment, suspecting him of disclosing state secrets.

Hollande's salary is $194,000.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The Turkish leader has been in charge of the country since 2014. The election he won was the first direct democratic vote in that country. 2016 was not an easy year for Erdogan. In the summer, part of the military elite tried to carry out a coup d'état, which was suppressed. After that, Turkey began to tighten laws against the opposition and strengthen presidential power, which was negatively assessed by many partner countries.

The coup attempt was very bloody. The mutiny killed 238 people. Erdogan himself narrowly escaped capture. He left the hotel shortly before they began to storm it.

Erdogan seeks to strengthen his power on all fronts. So, at the moment, 26,000 people are accused of involvement in the coup. Many of them are in prisons, the rest have lost their jobs, as a rule, these are law enforcement officers.

At the moment, a campaign has been launched in the country to return to the criminal code such punishment as the death penalty.

The president's salary is $197,000.

Shinzo Abe

His annual income is $203,000. He has been in charge of the country since 2006. In this post, Abe will be remembered as a politician who began to pursue a peculiar economic policy. He managed to revive the economy, which over the previous two decades had been plagued by stagnation and deflation.

One method was to artificially devalue the yen by doubling the money supply. This method is not new; the leaders of other countries have used it repeatedly. On the one hand, it can be very effective, on the other hand, it can provoke international currency wars, which is what critics of the Japanese prime minister are afraid of.

Theresa May

Rounding out the top five is British Prime Minister Theresa May. She receives $215,000.

For her, 2016 was also a defining year in many ways. In the UK, a nationwide referendum was held, in which the majority of the British voted in favor of leaving the European Union. May supported the previous British prime minister and was opposed to secession from Europe.

However, the Eurosceptics won the vote. Cameron stepped down and May took over. Much is expected of her. First of all, a smooth exit of the country from the eurozone, which will last for more than one year. It should also be noted that May became only the second woman in the history of Great Britain, after which she managed to take this post.

Russian President

It is impossible not to mention the national head of state in this list. Although he ended up in 9th place, receiving $ 136,000 a year.

But in the rating of Russian presidents, Vladimir Putin, of course, is in the lead. Yes, and according to polls of authoritative publications, he has repeatedly been among the most authoritative people on the planet. For several years now.

At the moment, Putin is holding the presidency for the third time. His last term at the moment was marked by serious steps in foreign and domestic policy. In particular, the Crimean peninsula was included in the country, after which a number of foreign countries imposed severe economic sanctions against Russia. In response, Putin decided on retaliatory counter-sanctions, which banned the import of food products from states that wished to impose sanctions.

Jacob Zuma

Such high earnings allowed him to take a very high place in this ranking of world presidents. In South Africa, the head of state is not elected by members of parliament. Zuma received support from MPs in 2009. Since then, he has been in office for the second time. His government pays great attention to economic development and infrastructure construction.

Angela Merkel

She has been Chancellor of Germany since 2005. During this time, she managed to become one of the most authoritative politicians in the European Union.

Justin Trudeau

He headed the state in 2015. He pays great attention to the equality of women. So, in his cabinet of ministers there are exactly 15 men and women each. In addition, the most popular nationalities living in Canada are represented.

Rating leader

The first place in this list at the end of 2016 was taken by the American President Barack Obama. He receives $400,000.

At the same time, in the ranking of US presidents in his history, he occupies a very low position. Many of his decisions have been repeatedly criticized and challenged. So, in the ranking of US presidents in the history of Obama, only 12th place. The leader, by the way, is Abraham Licoln. Obama, who began by winning the Nobel Peace Prize at the very beginning of his term, then disappointed many with his aggressive foreign policy.

Therefore, in the rating of American presidents, he is located so low. Americans value stability and self-confidence first and foremost. Obama, on the other hand, failed to solve the main problem that confronted him - to defeat Islamic terrorism.

At the same time, there were many positive things in his work. That is why in the ranking of US presidents, the list of which in recent years is known to everyone, he bypassed both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

It is worth noting that the current president of the United States, billionaire Donald Trump, will no longer be able to top this list. He stated that he would work for a symbolic payment of $1.

TASS-DOSIER. On July 13, 2016, Theresa May, the British Home Secretary and newly elected leader of the ruling Conservative Party, is set 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 post. 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 is 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. 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 oldest woman at the head of state or government (77 years old). The only one among the current female heads of state is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize (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 (at the time she took office she was 47 years old).

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 an important event for the whole of Oceania, where women's participation in political life is still limited. Married, four children.

On March 19, the permanent president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, announced that. He stayed in his post for almost 30 years and was the most "long-ruling" head of state in the post-Soviet space. We decided to rank the current political centenarians in countries with a republican or mixed form of government, where the head of state is elected - at least formally. The result surprised us: the list included the heads of seven African countries, one representative each from the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia, and one head of a European country.

1st place: President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

39 years of continuous reign

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo became President of Equatorial Guinea almost 40 years ago, in 1979, after the overthrow of the country's first president, his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema Biyogo.

In Equatorial Guinea, a cult of the president's personality flourishes. In 2003, the state press announced that Teodoro Obiang Nguema was "like God in heaven" and was "in constant contact with the Almighty," with the president having "all power over men and things."

It is not surprising that Mbasogo is re-elected with enviable constancy - in the last elections of 2016, according to official data, 93.53% of voters voted for him. The next elections will be held in Equatorial Guinea in 2023. Now Mbasogo, 76, is unlikely to run for another term, having been diagnosed with cancer.

2nd Place: Cameroonian President Paul Biya

36 years of continuous reign

Paul Biya has ruled Cameroon as president for nearly 37 years. Considering that before that, for another seven years, he headed the government of Cameroon and was the country's prime minister, then his political experience is 44 years.

In October last year, despite his advanced age - 86 years, Paul Biya was re-elected president of the country for a seven-year term.

3rd Place: Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

33 years of continuous reign

Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 74, has been in power for 33 years. Having come to power as a result of a military coup, he promised that his government would govern the country during a four-year transitional period until a new constitution was drafted and elections were held. Then elections were held, then another, and another - and, according to official data, it was Museveni who won them.

The 2001-2006 cadence was the last time Museveni was allowed by the Ugandan constitution. However, in 2005, changes were prepared to the country's basic law, allowing the president to be elected again. In the same year, the Ugandan parliament removed the limit on the number of presidential terms.

In the 2016 elections, Museveni was re-elected president with a score of 60.62%. And he is going to run in the next elections in 2021.

4th place: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir

Omar al-Bashir came to power in Sudan in a military coup in 1989. He headed the National Salvation Revolution Command Council, which ruled Sudan for several years, and after the dissolution of the Council, he became President of Sudan.

Since then, he has consistently won presidential elections - most recently in 2015, where, according to official data, he won with 94.05% of the vote.

Omar al-Bashir, 75, has no intention of leaving office despite being labeled a dictator and the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for his arrest for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

5th place: Iranian leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei

29 years of continuous reign

Ali Khamenei. Photo: Reuters

Ali Hosseini Khamenei is the Ayatollah, Supreme Leader of Iran. There is no analogue of such a position in other states, the chief theologian and leader of the state is slightly higher than the president of Iran: not a single decision comes into force without being approved by the Supreme Leader. And even the president of Iran, who won the election, becomes it only after being approved by the leader of the state.

Khamenei became Iran's Supreme Leader after the death of Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini in 1989 and has been guiding the country's development for 29 years.

Khamenei, 79, will be Iran's leader until his death, although in theory Iran's Council of Experts, made up of influential theologians, could remove him from this post.

6th: Chadian President Idriss Deby

28 years of continuous reign

Idris Deby. Photo: Reuters

The 67-year-old President of Chad, Idriss Deby, has been ruling the country for 28 years. He was re-elected in 2016 and is set to run in the next election in 2021.

7th place: Tajik President Emomali Rahmon

26 years of continuous reign

Emomali Rahmon, after Nazarbayev left his post, became the most "long-playing" head of state in the post-Soviet space. In December 1992, he took the post of chairman of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan (this post is equivalent to the presidential one), and in 1994 - the post of president of Tajikistan. In addition, he bears the title of "Leader of the Nation" ("Peshvoi Millat").

Under Rahmon, the Constitution of Tajikistan was changed several times (familiar, isn't it?). In 1999, the country held a referendum on amendments to the constitution, including amendments to increase the presidential term from four to seven years. In 2003, another referendum was held to change the constitution: the president was allowed to serve not one, but two seven-year terms in a row, and restrictions on the age of a presidential candidate were removed. And finally, in 2016, as a result of a constitutional referendum, amendments were adopted that removed restrictions on the number of re-elections to the presidency from the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon.

The next presidential elections in Tajikistan will be held in 2020 - 66-year-old Emomali Rahmon has already announced his desire to run for the post of head of state.

8th: Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki

25 years of continuous reign

In April 1993, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, and Isaias Afewerki became president of the new state. Initially, the president was supposed to be elected by parliament for a five-year term. But in 1997, Isaias Afewerki (to hell with formalities!) simply took and canceled the presidential election.

Therefore, the 73-year-old Isaias Afewerka does not care about re-election issues. As well as the glory of the dictator.

9th place: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko

24 years of continuous reign

Alexander Lukashenko became President of Belarus on July 20, 1994. In three months, he will celebrate his 25th anniversary as head of state. To date, this is a record among all European heads of state - with the exception of monarchs. And the second place among the leaders in the post-Soviet space.

The President of Belarus also has a chance to break world records: 64-year-old Alexander Lukashenko is now serving his fifth presidential term and is going to run for the post of head of state for the sixth time - this is what he (although it is still unknown when the next elections will be held - in 2019 or 2020). And taking into account the fact that the limit on the number of presidential terms was removed from our constitution as a result of a referendum in 2004, Alexander Grigoryevich can become president for the seventh and eighth times ...

10th place: President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso

21 years of uninterrupted reign

Denis Sassou Nguesso first became President of the People's Republic of the Congo back in 1979. At that time, the country was betting on the Marxist-Leninist course and friendship with the USSR. After the collapse of the socialist camp, the People's Republic of the Congo became simply the Republic of the Congo and proclaimed a course towards a market economy, and Denis Sassou Nguesso failed miserably in the 1992 presidential elections.

The economic crisis and political destabilization led to a civil war. Its outcome in 1997 was decided by the military intervention of neighboring Angola, which again made Denis Sassou Nguesso president of the Republic of the Congo.

Since then, Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected to this post every seven years. The next elections will be held in 2023, and 75-year-old Denis Sassou Nguesso is going to take part in them.

Out of competition

In our ranking, we did not take into account the monarchy. But if we take them into account, then the Queen of Great Britain and a number of other countries - members of the British Commonwealth (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu) will become the undisputed leader of being in power. , Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis) 92-year-old Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth II. Photo: Reuters

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 an original form of government exists 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 setting the date for the presidential election 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 field of public administration, 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 for financial and credit policy countries, banking legislation and so on. 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 (ranks), to participate in holidays and major events (opening roads, schools, government 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 a 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 sex. 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).

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 as the 14th most influential person in the world.

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 Agriculture Committee 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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