Estonia Becomes The First Country To Led By Female Prime Minister and Female President at the Same Time

On Tuesday, a two-party coalition government was sworn in, led by the first woman prime minister since the Baltic nation regained independence in 1991.

A country of 1.3 million created history by electing female Prime-Minister and Female President at the same time. One must note, Estonia is the only country where both women leaders are elected by the people. New Zealand, Barbados, and Denmark are three other countries with female prime ministers and heads of state, but the latter in these countries are monarchs and therefore not elected.

On 26th January, the 15-member Cabinet of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas took office after lawmakers in Estonia’s parliament approved the government appointed by President Kersti Kaljulaid. Kallas, 43, is a lawyer and former European Parliament member.

Kallas stressed gender balance in forming the new Cabinet, placing several women in key positions, including naming the Reform Party’s Keit Pentus-Rosimannus as finance minister and Eva-Maria Liimets, Estonia’s ambassador to the Czech Republic, as the foreign minister.

Kallas’ Cabinet has a little over two years to leave its mark in this European Union and NATO member before the next general election set for March 2023.

Kallas, in an interview with The Guardian, said, “gender balance was an important factor in the new cabinet, with numerous women appointed to key positions, including the finance and foreign ministers.”

Featured Image: AP Photo/Twitter

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