Tarja Halonen (Rank on 10 Most Powerful Women Politicians list: 9)
Tarja Kaarina Halonen, born 24 December 1943 was the 11th President of Finland, serving from 2000 to 2012, the first female to hold the office. Apart from politics, she also had a long and extensive career in trade unions and in various nongovernmental organisations. A law graduate from the University of Helsinki, she was active in student politics as well as served as the Social Affairs Secretary and Organization Secretary of the National Union of Students from 1969 to 1970. Tarja was also a lawyer in the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions thus proving herself as one among the most powerful women politicians. During the time of her presidency she has been extremely popular among Finns: her approval ratings rose and reached a peak of 88% in December 2003. Ineligible to run in the 2012 presidential elections due to term limits, and she left office on 1 March 2012.
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