With A Woman President and Prime Minister Estonia Becomes The Only Country Led By Women

The European country Estonia on January 26 became the only country in the world that is currently led by women. The females in the front line are the elected President Kersti Kaljulaid and the elected Prime Minister Kajas Kallas.

President Kaljulaid was elected by the country's parliament in 2016. She then created history by becoming the first woman to ever hold the office of Estonian President.

Estonia becomes the only country in the world led by #women https://t.co/B5SxdLXITB via @estonianworld #Estonia

— Estonian World (@EstonianWorld) January 26, 2021

Kaljulaid had nominated Kajas Kallas to form the government on January 14, 2021. Kallas will lead a coalition between her Reform Party and the Centre Party while serving as the Estonian Prime Minister. After assuming office on January 26, she became the first female Prime Minister of Estonia.

The new Estonian government will have a record of seven female ministers for the first time in the country. This is almost half of the cabinet. President Kaljulaid appointed the new government at sunrise on January 26. Meanwhile, the cabinet minister also took the oath of office before the parliament on that same day.

President Kersti Kaljulaid

Kaljulaid not only was the first woman to get elected as the President but also was the youngest person when she assumed office in 2016. She previously used to work as a state official. 

She graduated from the University of Tartu in 1992 as a biologist. Further, she did an MBA in business management from the same University in 2001. Kaljulaid's liberal views on social issues like LGBTQIA+ rights and immigration are very popular in the country.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas 

Kaja Kallas has a degree in law from the University of Tartu as well as a Master's degree in business administration from the Estonian Business School. She is a lawyer.

However, in 2011 she became a member of the Reform Party. The same year, she was elected to the Estonian Parliament. Her father Siim Kallas was one of the founders of the Reform Party.

Other countries with female leaders

When President Tarja Halonen was in office as the President of Finland from 2000 to 2012, she had two female heads of government – Anneli Jäätteenmäki and Mari Kiviniemi. Denmark is also led by a female Prime Minister, Mette Frederikson currently. And of course, Kamala Harris has now become the first female Vice-President of the US. New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern won a second term. Angela Merkel has been the Chancellor of Germany since 2005.