On Tuesday, Namibia elected its first female president in the country’s history. A news that shows that more and more women around the world are being elected to head of state. But what about in 2024 situation? And what do the French think about having a woman in power?
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah savoured her victory on Tuesday. It was a historic victory, as the 72-year-old politician became the first female president in the country’s history, winning over 57% of the vote. In Africa, more and more women are asserting themselves. There are currently 4 women heads of government in Africa: Togo, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Tunisia. A female presence that reflects progress and efforts in the fight to promote gender equality.
And what about the rest of the world?
For years, many countries have been introducing quotas and measures to increase female representation in politics, which would greatly facilitate the election of women as heads of state.
In 2022, around 12 women were at the head of state in countries such as Slovakia, Ethiopia and Moldova. According to data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in 2023 there were 17 women presidents, representing 11.3% of heads of state worldwide. There were also 19 female heads of government, representing 9.8%. In total, there were 36 women heads of state out of 193 countries. That’s more than in 2022. These figures show a clear progression, unlike in recent years, although women are still in the minority. No data has yet been published on the number of women presidents in the world in 2024, but there is every reason to believe that this figure will remain similar or even increase. This year, Mexico elected Claudia Sheinbaum as its first female president, making her mark on the country’s history.
What about the French?
In the future, with Marine Le Pen’s constant presence at every election, France is not immune from having a woman president one day. But what do the French think about having a woman president one day in their country, regardless of political party?
‘As long as a person has solid skills, she is likely to be able to govern in the same way as a man. I don’t see why Michel Barnier can’t govern in the same way as Elizabeth Borne, the powers are the same whether it’s a man or a woman,’ says Justin, 22. ‘People have the same powers, they’re at the same level, they’re fair. The only difference is the gender. We used to think that women don’t have the stature to be able to govern. Unfortunately, this view is due to a number of clichés, notably that women are less the embodiment of power and strength’, he adds.
‘I think a woman would be just as efficient and capable as a man. Being more capable is a comparison made from person to person, not from man to woman. Ability is not limited to gender,’ exclaims Manon, 24. She continues: ‘Having a woman in power sends out a strong message about what the country is going to look like, about its open-mindedness and its ideological reconstruction when it comes to gender issues. It would advance the discourse’, she concludes.
‘Finally, women are almost taking over now, they have an increasingly authoritarian role, as we see in films and TV series. Personally, I’m fine with a woman in power, I wouldn’t know the difference as long as the country was well run,’ says Gérard, 70.
‘A woman can be just as capable as a man. A woman can be better than a man in every field, not just politics. Having a woman president doesn’t bother me, it all depends on the political party she’s in,’ admits Monique, 56.
The French are unanimously in favour of having a woman in charge one day. The only obstacle now? The political party.
