Mexico gets its first female president... here’s a look at the world’s other first women heads of state

Mexico on June 2 elected its first female President in a landslide victory, making history in a country where incidents of crime and violence remains rampant.

Claudia Sheinbaum, 61, who is the former Mexico City mayor won around 58-60% votes which was 30% more than the principal opposition candidate, Xochitl Galvez.

Sheinbaum will replace her mentor and Mexico’s outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

“I want to thank millions of Mexican women and men who decided to vote for us on this historic day,” Sheinbaum said in a victory speech to the cheering crowd. “I won't fail you," she vowed.

Sheinbaum, a physicist-turned-politician, who grew up in a family of activists began her political career in 2000, when Lopez Obrador, newly elected Mayor of Mexico City, chose her to serve as the elader of his environmental team.

Here’s a look at other prominent first female head of state from across the world:

Indira Gandhi: She was the female Prime Minister of India, serving from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984. 

Sirimavo Bandaranaike: The first female Prime Minister of Sri Lanka,  Bandaranaike, served from 1960 to 1965 and again from 1970 to 1977. Her government was notable for its socio-economic advancements, establishing a state-run system and nationalizing many businesses.

Benazir Bhutto: Pakistan’s first female Prime Minister, Bhutto served from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996. She was the first woman democratically elected leader of any Muslim nation. Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Khaleda Zia: She was the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. She was married to Ziaur Rahman, the President of Bangladesh who was assassinated in 1981.

Margaret Thatcher: She was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, serving from 1979 to 1990. She held office for 11 years, making her the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century.

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir: Iceland’s first female President served from 1980 to 1996. She was the first woman in the world to be democratically elected as president of a country and served for 16 years.

Isabel Perón: Argentina’s first female President who served from 1974 to 1976, was the first woman head of state in South America.

Elisabeth Domitien: She was the first female Prime Minister of the Central African Republic, serving from 1972 to 1973.

Michelle Bachelet: The first female President of Chile, Bachelet, served two non-consecutive terms from 2006-2010 and 2014-2018. She was also Chile's and Latin America's first female Defense Minister from 2002-2004.

Corazon Aquino: "Cory" Aquino was the first female President of the Philippines, serving from 1986 to 1992. She came to power after leading the popular revolt against the 20-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

Yulia Tymoshenko: She was the first female Prime Minister of Ukraine, serving two non-consecutive terms from 2005 and again from 2007 to 2010

Angela Merkel: She was the first female Chancellor of Germany, serving from 2005 to 2021. As Chancellor, Merkel navigated significant crises, including the 2008 financial crisis, the 2015 migrant crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Portia Simpson-Miller: First female Prime Minister of Jamaica serving two non-consecutive terms from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2016. She was a prominent figure in Jamaican politics, known for her advocacy for social and economic development, particularly for women and marginalized communities.