First and last name of the head of state. Women are current heads of state

The answer may surprise anyone, because the palm in this unusual competition goes to Robert Mugabe, whose official date of birth is February 21, 1924, that is, today this ruler is preparing to celebrate his 93rd year of life.

And everything would be fine, except that the oldest president in the world is headed not by some quiet, prosperous Liechtenstein, but by one of the most notorious African states, Zimbabwe, about which ironic legends are already circulating. In this bizarre and controversial ranking, Mugabe beat out the world's two other oldest (current) presidents - Sessby (president of another African state - Tunisia) and Halim (president of Malaysia). It is noteworthy that it is impossible to determine which of them deserves silver and which bronze, for the simple reason that both leaders are now 88 years old.

As for Mugabe, we are talking about a very odious person, because it was this president who drove his own people into hopeless poverty and today it is quite difficult to believe that Zimbabwe was once one of the most prosperous states on the African continent. It was he who gave scandalous orders to take away land from white farmers, who created jobs and paid hired labor quite generously by local standards, and to demolish peasant slums without building new homes in their place, leaving people homeless. As for the economy of the once successful state, here too the would-be ruler provoked failures in all directions, because just look at the hyperinflation of the Zimbabwean currency, which depreciated so rapidly that people had to go to the market with carts and wheelbarrows filled to the brim with practically nothing. worth pieces of paper worth millions and even trillions of dollars. Ultimately, the Mugabe government did not find a better solution than to abandon its own money and completely switch to the American dollar.

A logical question arises about how this absolutely incompetent dictator was able to spend so much time in the ruling chair and even break the world record, being the oldest sitting president, especially considering the nuance that he spent 10 years in prison for his political activities . The answer is simple and it comes down to a war that lasted from 1965 to 1979 and is currently called the “Liberation War of the Zimbabwean People”. It was on this wave that Mugabe was able to rise to the top of the ruling elite, displace the current leader of the democratic party, win the sympathy of the fooled people and win the elections with resounding success, becoming the prime minister of a state that had just gained its independence. A little later, he abolished all opposition parties, making a one-party system of government and made changes to the constitution of the state of Zimbabwe, automatically moving from prime ministers to presidents of the country.

It is noteworthy that despite the terrible devastation, poverty, hunger and high mortality from lack of water, food, medicine and at least basic living conditions, the majority of the people of Zimbabwe treat Robert Mugabe with special trepidation and love and do not even think about removing him from presidential chair.

List of women holding the most powerful positions in politics. Seven of the ten current female heads of state became the first female presidents in the history of their countries, and they did so only recently.

Heads of State

Bidhya Devi Bhandari - Nepal

Nepal's first female president is only in her third year in office. Bidhya Devi was able to finish school, while girls of her generation did not have the opportunity to study. From her youth she was interested in politics. Bidhya participated in demonstrations against the king's rule, and after the overthrow of the monarchy in 2006, she was elected to a provisional parliament. That same year, a bill proposed by Bhandari was passed, according to which, for the first time in the history of Nepal, women received a quota of 33% of seats in parliament, as well as the right to inherit the property of their parents and the right for a child to inherit his mother's citizenship.

Halima Jacob - Singapore

In 2013, Halima became the first female Speaker of Parliament in Singapore's history, and in 2017, the first female President of this country. Halima received the post of head of state automatically, after all other candidates were not allowed to participate in the elections due to non-compliance with the requirements. Her career did not stop Halima Yacob from getting married and having five children.

Queen Elizabeth II - Great Britain

This woman doesn’t need a long introduction. It is enough to note that she reigns longer than any monarch in British history. At the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, we were once again convinced that Elizabeth is holding up well at 92. If you want to learn more about the life of Elizabeth and other members of the royal family, watch our selection of films.

Queen Margrethe II - Denmark

Queen Margrethe II has also been on the throne for quite a long time - 46 years. Among her ancestors are Russian princes - the granddaughter of Nicholas I, Anastasia Mikhailovna. Margrethe studied military science and was a recruit in the women's branch of the Air Squadron. Among the Queen's other hobbies is painting. In addition, together with her husband Prince Henrik, she translated several works of Simone de Beauvoir into Danish.

Dalia Grybauskaite - Lithuania

Dalia Grybauskaite was first elected president of Lithuania in 2009 - then she received 69.05% of the votes: a record number for all elections after the collapse of the USSR. In 2014, Grybauskaite was re-elected to a second term. She is the first female president in the history of Lithuania, as well as the first president elected to 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 Maltese government as Minister for Family and Social Solidarity. A year later, the country's prime minister recommended her for the post of president, and she was confirmed 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, American Forbes placed her at number 78 on its list of “100 Most Powerful Women.” Kirsty has four children: a son and daughter from her first marriage and two sons from her second.

Hilda Hein - Marshall Islands

Before becoming president, Hilda Hein was Minister of Education. It is not surprising - Hein is the first person in the Marshall Islands to receive a doctorate degree. In 2016, she became the first female president in the history of the Pacific island states. True, she was the only candidate for this post. Hilda Hein founded a women's rights group.

Pola-Mae Weeks - Trinidad and Tobago

Weeks was a lawyer and judge on the Turks and Caicos Islands Court of Appeal. In January 2018, she became the first female president in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. Like Hilda Hein, Weeks 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 hugging her country's football players were very popular on the Internet. Grabar was praised for her simplicity, in particular for the fact that she flew to the championship on a regular passenger plane. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is the first female president of Croatia and the most popular politician in this country. She has been head of state since 2015.

Heads of government and governors general

Prime Minister Theresa May - UK

The second woman in British history to head the government. Before being elected Prime Minister, she was Minister for Women and Equalities and Home Secretary. Theresa May is in second place on the Forbes list of the most powerful women of 2017. In 2018, the magazine ranked her 14th on its overall list of the most influential people in the world.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand

Jacinda became the head of the New Zealand government in October 2017. She is the youngest female prime minister in the world. Jacinda Ardenrn gave birth to a daughter in June this year. Ardern supports same-sex marriage, liberalization of abortion and wants to legislate greenhouse gas reductions to combat global warming.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley - Barbados

Mia Mottley became the first woman to head the government of Barbados. She was elected in May 2018. At 29, she was the youngest minister in the country's history - 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 to serve 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 named her the most powerful leader in Europe.

Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir - Iceland

Before entering politics, she worked as a journalist and taught at a university. Catherine is a feminist and an active participant in the environmental movement.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila - Romania

Viorica Dancilă was the Deputy of the Committee on Agriculture and a member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. On her initiative, women candidates received a quota of 30% in elections to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of Romania.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic - Serbia

Ana Brnabic 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, equality activist Patsy Reddy became Governor General in 2016. Her appointment was hailed as New Zealand's big step towards gender equality. Patsy actively advocates for gender, ethnic, and cultural diversity in all spheres 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 Cecile La Grenade - Grenada

Officer of the Order of the British Empire and Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. Since 2013, Cecile 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 for 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 influential women in Barbados. Before her appointment as Governor-General in January this year, she was the first woman to serve on the country's Court of Appeal.

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10. Sebastian Pinheira ($2.4 billion)

The incredibly rich but strangely robotic Sebastian Pinheira is at the bottom of our list of billionaires, with a "modest" $2.4 billion in his pocket. The head of state previously participated in the management of several large companies - Chili Apple, the television company ChiliVision (of which he owned 100% of the shares), and Chilean Airlines - investments in the latter determined most of his future income. In 2010, he graduated to become the Chief Executive of an entire nation after being elected its President, and that same year the country's economy grew by 5.2% - possible proof that money making skills extend to the political arena as well? The Chilean “Number One” is currently also at position 488 on the Forbes list of billionaires. If only all his money could do something to make him look less like the Terminator.

9. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani ($2.4 billion)

Sheikh Hamad initially came to power by dethroning his father in a bloodless palace coup in 1995. The Emir of Qatar represents his country during state visits and is responsible for coordinating its development in the field of oil and natural gas reserves. The results are clearly visible in his $2.4 billion bank account. A militaristic emir who trained at England's Sandhurst Military Academy, he previously served as his country's Minister of Defense, in which post he led a program of intensive modernization of the Qatari armed forces. He also has three wives and 24 children. Luckily, he has enough money to pay for babysitters!

8. Mohammed VI ($2.5 billion)

Morocco's King Mohammed VI found his billions in the form of his family's financial legacy and the nation's vast phosphate reserves. As ruler of his own country, he has powerful executive powers, which he has used to weaken the sacred aura of the monarchy and strengthen the position of the prime minister. He has also introduced some reforms aimed at making the most corrupt parts of government more accountable to the people - although some believe these pro-democracy measures still fall short. Mohammed also has a pretty impressive bank account, with reports saying he's worth $2.5 billion and has the sizable suit to prove it. Some people must just be born lucky.

7. Hans-Adam II ($4 billion)

In addition to being the head of the tiny European state of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II is also one of the richest rulers in the world, and quite simply the richest ruler in Europe. In this, he easily beats more famous monarchs, such as Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Queen Beatrix I of the Netherlands, which is probably quite humiliating for them.

Despite being the heir to a large family fortune as a member of the royal family, Adam has worked hard to earn his money: he not only owns the LGT banking group, but was also put in charge of his family's financial affairs at the age of 27 years old, and has shown such good acumen that today their combined family wealth exceeds $7 billion. In 2004, he formally transferred most of the royal powers to his son, Prince Alois. Let's hope that the guy will show the same class as his daddy.

6. Silvio Berlusconi ($9 billion)

There is a joke that the official measure of political corruption is called "Berlusconi". Shady dealings (Berlusconi has been accused of embezzlement, tax fraud, and bribing judges, among other things) have undoubtedly helped put the Italian leader and entrepreneur ahead of the rest: not only is he officially the fifth richest head of state in the world, but also the longest-serving leader of the Big One. Eight, the owner of the Italian football club Milan - not to mention the investment company that controls the largest Italian private television companies - and the fact that he is constantly seen in the arms of women decades younger than him. If it's bad, then we're not sure we want to be good. See, with a list of transgressions that includes signing laws aimed at slowing down prosecutions of himself, referring to Obama as "tanned," and comparing a German MEP to a Nazi concentration camp guard, it might not be worth $9 billion to be in his shoes. .

5. Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum ($12 billion)

Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum may rank surprisingly low on our list. In 2009, Forbes estimated his wealth at 12 billion, but the ruler of the billionaire's playground of Dubai was apparently even richer, worth more than 18 billion. However, when the recession of the late 2000s hit, Sheikh lost a lot of money and was even forced to turn to neighboring Abu Dhabi for help when markets fell. Through his investment company Dubai World, Al Maktoum has control over many corporations such as port operator DP World Ltd and property developer Nakheel Properties, the latter of which helps shape Dubai's landscape, including the famous Palm Jameira man-made archipelago. . His official website calls him "Leader", "Horse Rider", and "Poet". We'd add "stunningly rich Sheikh" to that list.

4. Khalifa bin Zayyad al Nahyan ($15 billion)

The President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi gained his impressive fortune through a combination of real estate investments, inheritance, and oil. Due to his father's poor health, he was forced to act as president even before formally taking office in 2004. He is widely promoted as a pro-Western modernizer by the United States, but has also been described as "aloof and uncharismatic" (according to correspondence published on the Wikileaks website). See, this head of state is also the third richest monarch in the world, with a combined wealth of over $15 billion. Who needs charisma if he owns something like this?

3. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud ($18 billion)

The current King of Saudi Arabia is not exactly the king of this list, appearing only at number three. However, with an impressive family fortune of $18 billion behind him - built on his country's unprecedented oil reserves - he is by no means the poorest of its kind. The former commander-in-chief of the Saudi National Guard has always maintained close relations with the United States, paying frequent state visits to its presidents and expressing support for George W. Bush on the second anniversary of 9/11. He also appears to be a big fan of America's current president, saying "Praise be to Allah for putting Obama in power," according to private emails released by Wikileaks.

2. Hassan al Bolkaya ($20 billion)

The Sultan of Brunei comes in second on our list with a personal fortune of $20 billion. With wealth based on his country's vast oil and natural gas reserves, he has behind him a dynasty that is believed to be perhaps the oldest in existence on the planet. The absolute monarch uses his vast wealth to provide his country's citizens with zero income taxes, free education, and universal healthcare - making it a veritable national health service rolled into one.

1. Bumibol Adulyadesh ($30 billion)

With a net worth of $30 billion as of 2009, King Bumibol Adulyadesh is the richest head of state on the planet. The King of Thailand is revered as a demi-deity in his own country - where he is considered virtually "untouchable" and any criticism leveled at him could result in a lengthy prison sentence. The king's personal wealth is impressive: he owns large stakes in several private companies - including Sammakorn, SCG, and Thai Insurance PLC - and also has extensive land holdings (although government officials stress that the latter is not counted when calculating his personal wealth). wealth). In 2008, Forbes estimated Adulyadesh's personal wealth at $35 billion, but falls in the real estate and stock markets lowered that number by $5 billion over the next year. Proof that the king returns some of the love he receives from his people is his donations to various Thai development projects, in areas ranging from agriculture and public health to water supply and social welfare. You see, he doesn't just take.

Bonus: Vladimir Putin ($40 billion)

Former (and very likely future) President Vladimir Putin claims his total wealth is a modest $150,000, but the head of the Russian government is suspected of possessing much greater wealth. Whistleblowers like former government member Ivan Rybkin and political scientist Stanislav Belkovsky claim that the president controls secret assets in oil and gas companies such as Gazprom and Gunvor... up to a value of over $40 billion. These claims have never been confirmed, but if they are true, he is the richest guy on this list, and has certainly earned his place at the very top - even if he got his fortune through more dirty means than fair.

Every relatively old country has former or current leaders who are long-lived. Some of them, despite their serious age, still manage to govern the country to this day, performing all the functions that even a young specialist may not be able to handle. In this regard, it is worth systematizing the list of the oldest heads of state in power.

Among the famous leaders in history, it is worth highlighting the king of the Goths, Germanarich, who ruled the country at the age of one hundred years. His exact date of birth is not known, but during the years of his reign he managed not only to carry out a large number of seizures of nearby states, but also to expand his possessions several times. His competitor is also Pope Agathon, who died at the age of 104, losing his throne only after his death. In addition, the list of the oldest leaders includes Hetman of the Zaporozhye Sich Pyotr Kalnyshevsky; he left his post at 94 years old. Among the long-reigning heads, King Louis XIV of France stands out, having been on the throne for almost 75 years.

The oldest current ruler is Robert Mugabe, who has been president of Zimbabwe since early 1988. Known for his leadership in the Arfikan Union, a fairly significant organization in Africa. By religion, Mugabe considers himself a Catholic, but has repeatedly stated the harm of religion in society. He received higher education as a teacher in Great Britain, after which he returned to his homeland and began to engage in political activities. He is famous throughout the world for his “persecution of white farmers.” In one of his early interviews, he even stated that he was ready to demand compensation from Great Britain and the United States for the years of slavery of blacks. According to him, the times when Africans were subordinate to the British and colonists were much worse than fascism and the Jewish Holocaust. In politics, Mugabe declares his commitment to socialism through the rejection of a market economy under the IMF program. He believes that only “strict” prices for essential products can force the population to obey the laws and work. Western critics have repeatedly accused him of tyranny. Mugabe has been the oldest sitting head of state on the planet since July 24, 2014.

In second place among the longest reigning leaders is the British Queen Elizabeth II. She has been on the throne from 1952 to the present. Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. In addition to Great Britain, she is the queen of such countries as Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia , Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. In addition, she leads the Anglican Church and a number of other religious organizations.

Elizabeth II is the oldest monarch in history. During her reign in Great Britain, there were a large number of turning points for the country, including the process of decolonization. During this time, there also occurred a long ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Elizabeth II has repeatedly been criticized due to her monarchical and radical views. Despite this, its popularity in the UK is quite high. Under current law, Elizabeth II has virtually no rights in political matters, but the country's citizens revere her on the same level as the official president.

In third place in this ranking is the current President of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi. He was born in the small town of Sidi Bou Said on the outskirts of the country into a family of ostrich farm owners. It is noteworthy that his great-grandfather Ismail Caid Essebsi, who was kidnapped by pirates in Sardinia. When the future president of Tunisia turned 18, he went with his family to Paris, where he lived for more than ten years. After that, he decided to return to his homeland and continue his parents’ business, but eventually sold the farm. With the proceeds, he returned to Europe to get another higher education. Immediately after the proclamation of Tunisia as a republic on July 25, 1957, he assumed the position of head of the regional government. In 1962, he took part in the capture of 26 people who were preparing a coup in Tunisia. In 1965, Essebsi was appointed head of the Republic's Ministry of Internal Affairs, after which he began to actively move up the career ladder. After the first Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, he also became the republic's ambassador to Germany. He became the country's president in 2014 after regular elections. He is currently 89 years old and remains in his position as head of state.

Today, October 13, the oldest monarch in the world, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, died. The son of the late Maha Vajiralongkorn became the heir to the throne of the country. Now the title of the oldest monarch in the world has passed to Elizabeth II. The Thai king died in his chambers under the supervision of doctors. According to official information, the King was hospitalized and underwent hemodialysis. The king who died today is from the Thai Chakri dynasty. Adulyadej came to the throne in 1946 after the death of his father. It is now known that the King of Thailand will be succeeded by his son. It is noteworthy that during the reign of his father, Maha Vajiralongkorn managed to distinguish himself in the Western press thanks to his exquisite and extravagant outfits.

Alexander Pevtsov