NYT,pg1: In First for Africa, Woman Wins Election as President of Liberia

In First for Africa, Woman Wins Election as President of Liberia
By LYDIA POLGREEN
Published: November 12, 2005


DAKAR, Senegal, Nov. 11 - Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-educated economist and former World Bank official who waged a fierce presidential campaign against the soccer star George Weah, emerged victorious on Friday in her quest to lead war-torn Liberia and become the first woman elected head of state in modern African history.

"Everything is on our side," said Morris Dukuly, a spokesman for Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf. "The voters have chosen a new and brighter future."

With 97 percent of the runoff vote counted on Friday, Ms. Johnson- Sirleaf achieved an insurmountable lead with 59 percent, compared with Mr. Weah's 41 percent, in a nation where women make up more than half the electorate.

Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf's victory propels her into an old boys' club unlike any other. From the Cape to Cairo, from Dar es Salaam to Dakar, men have dominated African politics from the earliest days of the anticolonial struggle.

"There are so many capable women," said Yassine Fall, a Senegalese economist and feminist working on women's rights in Africa. "But they just don't get the chance to lead."...


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/international/africa/12liberia.html

That would be the entire world, wouldn't it? Not just modern Africa?

and the last two have been women - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Ireland

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (born 1939) is the President-elect of Liberia. She is the leader of the Unity Party, and by the vote count has won as its presidential candidate in the 2005 election. Barring any exigencies, she will become the first elected female president of an African country. Educated at Harvard, Johnson-Sirleaf became involved in government when she became Finance Minister in President William Tolbert's administration in 1970. While running for Senate in 1985, she spoke out against the military regime, and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Released after a short period, she left in exile and returned in 1997 in the capacity of an economist, working for the World Bank, and Citibank in Africa.

Initially supporting Charles Taylor's rebellion against General Samuel Doe, she later went on to oppose him, and ran against him in the 1997 presidential elections. She managed only 10% of the votes, as opposed to Taylor's 75%. Taylor charged her with treason. She campaigned for the removal of President Taylor from office, playing an active and supportive role in the transitional government, as the country prepared itself for the 2005 elections. With Taylor's departure, she returned to take over the leadership of the Unity Party.

In the first round of voting, she came second with 175,520 votes, putting her through to the runoff vote on November 8 against former footballer George Weah. As of November 11th, with 97% of votes counted, the National Electoral Commission of Liberia declared Johnson-Sirleaf to be President-elect of Liberia, while her opponent, George Weah, refused to concede, filing a writ of prohibition with the Liberian Supreme Court to halt the ballot counting.

"America Elects Woman"

But with these fuckers in office, that will soon be illegal...

Damn all misogynists. Damn 'em to hell.

to President-elect Johnson-Sirleaf! It is especially pleasing that she has a strong background in international finance! :woohoo:

The elections are a major triumph in and of themselves for Liberia.
:applause: