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In Europe

Three women were elected to the Presidency:

• Mary Robinson in Ireland (1990-97),
• Ruth Dreifuss in Switzerland (1999)
• and Nino Burdschanadse in Georgia (2003-04).

Mrs. Robinson gave up to go to the UN she is President of Intermon Oxfam and the Council of Women Leaders in the world.
Mrs. Dreifuss broke old clichés she was the first woman presiding over the Confederation and the first Jewish person in that presidency.
Mrs. Burdschanadse directed the country after the dissolution and the state of emergency declared by Shevardnadze she called for unity and stability.

Nine women have been appointed to lead the Government:

• Margaret Thatcher in the U.K. (1979-1990),
• Gro Harlem Brundtland in Norway (1981, 1986-89, 1990),
• Kazimiera Prunskiene in Lithuania (1990-91),
• Hannah Suchka in Poland (1992-93),
• Tansu Ciller in Turkey (1993-96),
• Annemarie Huber-Hotz in Switzerland (from 2000),
• Anneli Jaateenmaki in Finland (2003),
• Yulia Tymoshenko in Ukraine (2005)
• and Angela Merkel in Germany (from 2005).

Mrs. Thatcher known as "iron lady" was the great allied of Reagan and she didn't tremble to re-conquest the Falklands.
Mrs. Brundtland cared for the environment, in 1983 introduced the concept of sustainable development.
Mrs. Prunskiene directed the transition of her country after the independence from Moscow.
Mrs. Suchka entered in politics in 1980 when she joined the trade union Solidarity, centred her government in reforming the socialist economy.
Mrs. Ciller a doctor in economy applies a neo-liberal programme to bring Turkey close to the European Union.
Mrs. Huber-Hotz was co-ordinator of the radical party and adviser of the seven consultants that form the Swiss government.
Mrs. Jaateenmaki is a lawyer and chose a cabinet equally divided 50% between men and women.
Mrs. Tymoshenko after the success of the "Orange revolution", President Yuschenko placed her at the head of the government but then dismissed her after six months.
Mrs. Merkel, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has become Germany's first woman chancellor.