Thursday, January 19, 2006

Michelle Bachelet


"I am a woman, a socialist, separated and agnostic — all the sins together," said Chilean presidential candidate Michelle Bachelet with a laugh. Then, asked about her favourite food, she beamed with her trademark smile: "Ahhh! That is my problem, I like everything, seafood, pastas, beans..."

From this profile by Jonathan Franklin.

Ms. Bachelet is the new President of Chile. In an editorial, the New York Times describes her victory as a part of a 'three-continent long jump for women in politics'.

The election on Sunday of Michelle Bachelet as Chile's president completes a three-continent long jump for women in politics. Ms. Bachelet is the first woman elected president in Latin America who is not the widow of a political strongman. On Monday, when Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was inaugurated as president of Liberia, she became Africa's first woman to be elected president. And with Angela Merkel's election as chancellor of Germany, a woman now leads Western Europe's most populous nation.

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