User:StaceyT/sandbox

Until the 20th century, the few women with political ambitions had to operate in the background as the "power behind the throne", backing up their husbands or lovers. As women got the vote in more and more countries, they began to climb the ladder. Many women that have gotten to the top in politics have been tougher, more decisive, and more practical than male leaders.

Female political leader	Dates of office	Position	Comments
Sirimavo Bandaranaike	1960-65, 1970-77 & 1994-2000	Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka	The first female head of government in modern times. Paved the way for Gandhi, Meir and the "Iron Lady" herself.
Indira Gandhi	1966-77 & 1980-84	Prime Minister of India	India's aging power-brokers thought that Nehru's daughter would be a push-over. They got a dreadful shock...
Golda Meir	1969-74	Prime Minister of Israel	This strong-willed "grandmother of the Jewish people" won a magnificent victory over Arab aggression.
Margaret Thatcher	1979-90	Prime Minister of the UK	The "Iron Lady" struck fear into the hearts of trade unionists, the Soviet gerontocracy and enemies of freedom everywhere.
Benazir Bhutto	1988-90 & 1993-96	Prime Minister of Pakistan	The first female head of government in a Muslim country.
Edith Cresson	1991-92	Prime Minister of France	Included because female leaders can sometimes be just as rubbish as male ones. When someone as useless as Cresson becomes PM, you know that women are starting to achieve equality with men.
Angela Merkel	2005-present	Chancellor of Germany	"The Second Iron Lady", "The Second Iron Chancellor"... She talks a lot of sense to irresponsible governments of other European countries.
Nicola Sturgeon	2014-present	First Minister of Scotland	A straight-talking, no-nonsense lady with a reputation for competence but not compromise.