First women legislative speakers

Nancy Patricia Pelosi is an American politician who was the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first female elected speaker and the first woman to lead a major political party in either chamber of Congress, heading the House Democrats from 2003 to 2023. Her 20 years as a House party leader are tied with Joe Martin's as the second-longest after Sam Rayburn. Pelosi is in her 20th term, having served in the House since 1987, representing California's 11th congressional district, which includes most of San Francisco. She is the dean of California's congressional delegation.

Russian politician

Gabonese politician (1942-2015)

Spanish politician

Italian politician (1920–1999)

United States Senator from Arkansas and first woman elected to the U.S. Senate, first woman to preside over the senate, first woman to chair a senate committee, and first woman to preside over a senate hearing (1878–1950)

Canadian politician (1922–1993)

Kittitian politician

poet and politician from Sao Tome and Principe (1926-2010)

South African journalist and politician

Spanish politician

Rwandan women's rights activist, human rights activist and lawyer

Chilean politician

Cypriot politician

Spanish politician

Ghanaian politician and judge

Malagasy politician

Mosotho politician

Andorran politician

Politician; Member of Parliament; Former Health Minster of Mauritius

political and journalist from Bahrein

Togolese politician

Congolese politician

Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia

Malawian politician and Member of Parliament

Canadian politician (1899-1997)

Dutch politician