List of female interior ministers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Worldwide, 173 women have overseen an interior ministry or analogous government agency[a] responsible for overseeing a country's public safety and other domestic affairs.[b] Of that number, 88 women have been in charge of interior ministries or analogous agencies in Europe, 29 women have been in Africa, 21 have been in North America, 15 women have been in Oceania, 12 women have been in Asia, and 11 women have been in South America.
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Incumbent female interior ministers of various countries
- Top row, from left to right:
- Middle row, from left to right:
- Bottom row, from left to right:
Qian Ying became the first female interior minister worldwide upon becoming China's minister of supervision in 1959. Seven years later, Mabel Moir James became the first female interior minister in North America, serving in this role in Dominica. In 1976, Clara Boscaglia became the first female European interior minister as Minister of the Interior and of Justice of San Marino. Africa would see the first woman serve in such a role when Kebatshabile Disele became Minister of Home Affairs of Botswana in 1979. Ten years later, Margaret Austin became Minister of Internal Affairs of New Zealand, the first such minister in Oceania. Finally, Ana Lucía Armijos became the first minister of the interior in South America in 1998 upon starting her tenure as Ecuador's ministry of the interior.
Norway is the country with the most female interior ministers, with 15 ministers of justice and public security. In contrast, various countries, such as Barbados and Palau, have only had one female interior minister or equivalent political officeholder.
The totals for this list include only female interior ministers or equivalents of sovereign states. Acting interior ministers, as well as administrators of public security and related affairs of dependent territories and subnational entities, are excluded from this article.
List
Summarize
Perspective
The following list includes all women who have served as national interior ministers or analogous governmental officials. Politicians are listed based on the starting dates of their tenures.
- * denotes an incumbent interior minister or equivalent officeholder
| Name | Image | Country | Continent | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qian Ying |  |
 China |
Asia | 1959 | 1960 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Mabel Moir James |  |
 Dominica |
North America | 1966 | 1970 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Clara Boscaglia | |
 San Marino |
Europe | 1976 | 1978 | 2 years, 0 days |
| Inger Louise Valle | |
 Norway |
Europe | 8 October 1979 | 3 October 1980 | 361 days |
| Kebatshabile Disele | |
 Botswana |
Africa | 1979 | 1984 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Harriet Andreassen | |
Norway |
Europe | 3 October 1980 | 14 October 1981 | 1 year, 11 days |
| Britta Schall Holberg | |
 Denmark |
Europe | 10 September 1982 | 12 March 1986 | 3 years, 183 days |
| Kaisa Raatikainen | |
 Finland |
Europe | 1 December 1984 | 30 April 1987 | 2 years, 150 days |
| Rita Sinon | |
 Seychelles |
Africa | 1986 | 1989 | 3 years, 0 days |
| Margaret Austin |  |
 New Zealand |
Oceania | 8 August 1989 | 4 September 1990 | 1 year, 27 days |
| Ien Dales | _tijdens_het_overleg_-_NL-HaNA_Anefo_931-6885_WM422.jpg) |
 Netherlands |
Europe | 7 November 1989 | 10 January 1994 | 4 years, 64 days |
| Lagle Parek |  |
 Estonia |
Europe | 21 October 1992 | 27 November 1993 | 1 year, 37 days |
| Birte Weiss | |
Denmark |
Europe | 25 January 1993 | 20 October 1997 | 4 years, 268 days |
| Ruth Dreifuss | .jpg) |
 Switzerland |
Europe | 10 March 1993 | 31 December 2002 | 9 years, 296 days |
| Dieuwke de Graaff-Nauta | .jpg) |
Netherlands |
Europe | 27 May 1994 | 22 August 1994 | 87 days |
| Meral Akşener | .jpg) |
 Turkey |
Asia | 8 November 1996 | 30 June 1997 | 234 days |
| Laura Chinchilla | .jpg) |
 Costa Rica |
North America | 12 November 1996 | 8 May 1998 | 1 year, 177 days |
| 30 March 2008 | 14 April 2008 | 15 days | ||||
| Yeh Chin-fong | |
 Taiwan |
Asia | 15 May 1997 | 5 February 1998 | 266 days |
| Francisca Pereira | |
 Guinea Bissau |
Africa | 6 June 1997 | 3 December 1998 | 1 year, 180 days |
| Ragnhild Queseth Haarstad |  |
Norway |
Europe | 17 October 1997 | 16 March 1999 | 1 year, 150 days |
| Ana Lucía Armijos | |
 Ecuador |
South America | 10 August 1998 | 15 February 1999 | 189 days |
| Rosa Russo Iervolino |  |
 Italy |
Europe | 21 October 1998 | 22 December 1999 | 1 year, 62 days |
| Vasso Papandreou | |
 Greece |
Europe | 19 February 1999 | 20 March 2000 | 1 year, 30 days |
| 13 April 2000 | 24 October 2001 | 1 year, 194 days | ||||
| Dosta Dimovska | |
 Macedonia |
Europe | 22 December 1999 | 13 May 2001 | 1 year, 142 days |
| Francesca Michelotti | |
San Marino |
Europe | 2000 | 25 June 2002 | 2 years, 175 days |
| Karen Jespersen | |
Denmark |
Europe | 23 February 2000 | 27 November 2001 | 1 year, 277 days |
| Sylvia Brustad |  |
Norway |
Europe | 21 March 2000 | 19 October 2001 | 1 year, 212 days |
| Chang Po-ya | .jpg) |
Taiwan |
Asia | 20 May 2000 | 1 February 2001 | 257 days |
| Urmila Joella-Sewnundun | |
 Suriname |
North America | 12 August 2000 | 12 August 2005 | 5 years, 0 days |
| Vera Sofia Rubi | |
 Honduras |
North America | 2001 | 27 January 2002 | 1 year, 26 days |
| Mia Mottley |  |
 Barbados |
North America | 28 August 2001 | 18 February 2006 | 4 years, 174 days |
| Erna Solberg |  |
Norway |
Europe | 19 October 2001 | 17 October 2005 | 3 years, 363 days |
| Sarah Flood-Beaubrun | .jpg) |
 Saint Lucia |
North America | 11 December 2001 | 12 January 2004 | 2 years, 32 days |
| Mónika Lamperth | |
 Hungary |
Europe | 27 May 2002 | 30 June 2007 | 5 years, 34 days |
| Emma Rossi | |
San Marino |
Europe | 25 June 2002 | 17 December 2002 | 175 days |
| Cristina Fontes Lima | |
 Cape Verde |
Africa | 19 October 2002 | 3 April 2004 | 1 year, 167 days |
| Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula | .jpg) |
 South Africa |
Africa | 29 April 2004 | 21 April 2009 | 4 years, 357 days |
| Liese Prokop |  |
 Austria |
Europe | 22 December 2004 | 31 December 2006 | 2 years, 9 days |
| Rosalia Nghidinwa | |
 Namibia |
Africa | 21 March 2005 | 4 December 2012 | 7 years, 258 days |
| Anne McLellan |  |
 Canada |
North America | 4 April 2005 | 6 February 2006 | 308 days |
| Gail Teixeira | |
 Guyana |
South America | 31 May 2005 | 8 September 2006 | 1 year, 100 days |
| Anna Kachikho | |
 Malawi |
Africa | 31 July 2005 | 1 June 2006 | 305 days |
| Åslaug Haga |  |
Norway |
Europe | 17 October 2005 | 21 September 2007 | 1 year, 339 days |
| Alicia Muñoz | |
 Bolivia |
South America | 22 January 2006 | 23 January 2007 | 1 year, 1 day |
| Olga Gólcher | |
 Panama |
North America | 28 January 2006 | 1 September 2007 | 1 year, 216 days |
| Valeria Ciavatta | _(cropped).jpg) |
San Marino |
Europe | 27 July 2006 | 9 July 2008 | 1 year, 348 days |
| Pilar Mazzetti | |
 Peru |
South America | 28 July 2006 | 23 February 2007 | 210 days |
| Gordana Jankuloska | .jpg) |
Macedonia |
Europe | 26 August 2006 | 12 May 2015 | 8 years, 259 days |
| Ana Isabel Morales | |
 Nicaragua |
North America | 10 January 2007 | 16 January 2017 | 10 years, 6 days |
| Guusje ter Horst |  |
Netherlands |
Europe | 22 February 2007 | 23 February 2010 | 3 years, 1 day |
| Daisy Tourné |  |
 Uruguay |
South America | 8 March 2007 | 5 June 2009 | 2 years, 89 days |
| Adela de Torrebiarte |  |
 Guatemala |
North America | 27 March 2007 | 1 July 2008 | 1 year, 96 days |
| Anne Holmlund |  |
Finland |
Europe | 19 April 2007 | 22 June 2011 | 4 years, 64 days |
| Michèle Alliot-Marie |  |
 France |
Europe | 18 May 2007 | 23 June 2009 | 2 years, 36 days |
| Jacqui Smith |  |
 United Kingdom |
Europe | 28 June 2007 | 5 June 2009 | 1 year, 342 days |
| Ma Wen | |
China |
Asia | 30 August 2007 | 16 March 2013 | 5 years, 198 days |
| Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa |  |
Norway |
Europe | 21 September 2007 | 20 October 2009 | 2 years, 29 days |
| Janina del Vecchio Ugalde | |
Costa Rica |
North America | 14 April 2008 | 8 May 2010 | 2 years, 24 days |
| Maria Fekter |  |
Austria |
Europe | 1 July 2008 | 21 April 2011 | 2 years, 294 days |
| Katarina Kresal |  |
 Slovenia |
Europe | 24 November 2008 | 19 August 2011 | 2 years, 268 days |
| Sahara Khatun |  |
 Bangladesh |
Asia | 6 January 2009 | 15 September 2012 | 3 years, 253 days |
| Janet Napolitano |  |
 United States |
North America | 21 January 2009 | 6 September 2013 | 4 years, 228 days |
| Sandra Pierantozzi |  |
 Palau |
Oceania | 21 January 2009 | 19 April 2010 | 1 year, 88 days |
| Mercedes Cabanillas |  |
Peru |
South America | 19 February 2009 | 11 July 2009 | 142 days |
| Linda Abu Meri |  |
 Latvia |
Europe | 12 March 2009 | 17 February 2011 | 1 year, 342 days |
| Karen Ellemann | .jpg) |
Denmark |
Europe | 7 April 2009 | 23 February 2010 | 322 days |
| Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma |  |
South Africa |
Africa | 22 April 2009 | 3 October 2012 | 3 years, 164 days |
| Annemie Turtelboom |  |
 Belgium |
Europe | 17 July 2009 | 6 December 2011 | 2 years, 142 days |
| Cécile Manorohanta |  |
 Madagascar |
Africa | 7 September 2009 | 26 March 2011 | 1 year, 200 days |
| Liv Signe Navarsete | .jpg) |
Norway |
Europe | 20 October 2009 | 16 October 2013 | 3 years, 361 days |
| Adja Satú Camará | |
Guinea-Bissau |
Africa | 28 October 2009 | 27 August 2011 | 1 year, 303 days |
| Roxana Méndez | |
Panama |
North America | 15 April 2010 | 20 August 2012 | 2 years, 127 days |
| Theresa May | .jpg) |
United Kingdom |
Europe | 12 May 2010 | 13 July 2016 | 6 years, 62 days |
| Theresa Makoni | |
 Zimbabwe |
Africa | 24 June 2010 | 11 September 2013 | 3 years, 79 days |
| Marisa Morais | |
Cape Verde |
Africa | 18 March 2011 | 22 April 2016 | 5 years, 35 days |
| Johanna Mikl-Leitner |  |
Austria |
Europe | 21 April 2011 | 21 April 2016 | 5 years, 0 days |
| Päivi Räsänen |  |
Finland |
Europe | 22 June 2011 | 29 May 2015 | 3 years, 341 days |
| Pelenike Isaia | |
 Tuvalu |
Oceania | 23 September 2011 | 2 August 2013 | 1 year, 313 days |
| Margrethe Vestager |  |
Denmark |
Europe | 3 October 2011 | 2 September 2014 | 2 years, 334 days |
| Annamaria Cancellieri |  |
Italy |
Europe | 16 November 2011 | 28 April 2013 | 1 year, 163 days |
| Joëlle Milquet |  |
Belgium |
Europe | 6 December 2011 | 22 July 2014 | 2 years, 228 days |
| Amy Adams |  |
New Zealand |
Oceania | 14 December 2011 | 3 April 2012 | 111 days |
| Liesbeth Spies |  |
Netherlands |
Europe | 16 December 2011 | 5 November 2012 | 325 days |
| Eleni Mavrou |  |
 Cyprus |
Europe | 20 March 2012 | 28 February 2013 | 345 days |
| Naledi Pandor |  |
South Africa |
Africa | 4 October 2012 | 6 May 2014 | 1 year, 214 days |
| Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana | |
Namibia |
Africa | 4 December 2012 | 1 February 2018 | 5 years, 59 days |
| Gülsün Yücel | |
 Northern Cyprus |
Europe | 13 June 2013 | 2 September 2013 | 81 days |
| Petya Parvanova | |
 Bulgaria |
Europe | 13 March 2013 | 29 May 2013 | 77 days |
| Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir | |
 Iceland |
Europe | 23 May 2013 | 4 December 2014 | 1 year, 195 days |
| Charmaine Scotty |  |
 Nauru |
Oceania | 13 June 2013 | 28 August 2019 | 6 years, 76 days |
| Tsandzile Dlamini |  |
 Eswatini |
Africa | 4 November 2013 | 5 September 2018 | 4 years, 305 days |
| Sheikh Hasina |  |
Bangladesh |
Asia | 21 November 2013 | 14 July 2015 | 1 year, 235 days |
| Sanae Takaichi |  |
 Japan |
Asia | 3 September 2014 | 3 August 2017 | 2 years, 334 days |
| 3 August 2017 | 2 October 2018 | 1 year, 60 days | ||||
| Vesna Györkös Žnidar |  |
Slovenia |
Europe | 18 September 2014 | 13 September 2018 | 3 years, 360 days |
| Teresa Piotrowska |  |
 Poland |
Europe | 22 September 2014 | 16 November 2015 | 1 year, 55 days |
| Anabela Rodrigues | |
 Portugal |
Europe | 19 November 2014 | 30 October 2015 | 345 days |
| Ólöf Nordal |  |
Iceland |
Europe | 4 December 2014 | 11 January 2017 | 2 years, 38 days |
| Rumyana Bachvarova |  |
Bulgaria |
Europe | 11 March 2015 | 27 January 2017 | 1 year, 322 days |
| Karen Ellemann | |
Denmark |
Europe | 28 June 2015 | 28 November 2016 | 1 year, 153 days |
| Rose Akol* | .jpg) |
 Uganda |
Africa | 16 November 2015 | Incumbent | 9 years, 107 days |
| Constança Urbano de Sousa |  |
Portugal |
Europe | 26 November 2015 | 18 October 2017 | 1 year, 326 days |
| Daisy Alik-Momotaro | |
 Marshall Islands |
Oceania | 11 January 2016 | 28 January 2016 | 17 days |
| Amenta Matthew | |
Marshall Islands |
Oceania | 28 January 2016 | 13 January 2020 | 3 years, 350 days |
| Paula Risikko |  |
Finland |
Europe | 22 June 2016 | 5 February 2018 | 1 year, 228 days |
| Amber Rudd |  |
United Kingdom |
Europe | 13 July 2016 | 29 April 2018 | 1 year, 290 days |
| Grace Chiumia | |
Malawi |
Africa | 6 September 2016 | 24 October 2017 | 1 year, 48 days |
| Mitcy Larue | |
Seychelles |
Africa | 29 October 2016 | 7 July 2017 | 251 days |
| Carmen Daniela Dan | .jpg) |
 Romania |
Europe | 4 January 2017 | 15 July 2019 | 2 years, 192 days |
| María Amelia Coronel* | |
Nicaragua |
North America | 16 January 2017 | Incumbent | 8 years, 46 days |
| Dominique Hasler |  |
 Liechtenstein |
Europe | 30 March 2017 | 25 March 2021 | 3 years, 360 days |
| Hlengiwe Mkhize | .jpg) |
South Africa |
Africa | 31 March 2017 | 17 October 2017 | 200 days |
| Ayanda Dlodlo |  |
South Africa |
Africa | 17 October 2017 | 27 February 2018 | 134 days |
| Cecilia Chazama | |
Malawi |
Africa | 24 October 2017 | 7 November 2018 | 1 year, 14 days |
| Kajsa Ollongren | .jpg) |
Netherlands |
Europe | 26 October 2017 | 1 November 2019 | 2 years, 6 days |
| 14 April 2020 | 10 January 2022 | 1 year, 271 days | ||||
| Tracey Martin |  |
New Zealand |
Oceania | 26 October 2017 | 6 November 2020 | 7 years, 128 days |
| Kirstjen Nielsen | .jpg) |
United States |
North America | 6 December 2017 | 7 April 2019 | 1 year, 122 days |
| ʻAkosita Lavulavu |  |
 Tonga |
Oceania | 18 January 2018 | 11 April 2018 | 83 days |
| Denisa Saková | .jpg) |
 Slovakia |
Europe | 26 April 2018 | 20 March 2020 | 1 year, 329 days |
| Losaline Ma'asi |  |
Tonga |
Oceania | 26 June 2018 | 21 January 2019 | 209 days |
| Nancy Patricia Gutiérrez | .jpg) |
 Colombia |
South America | 7 August 2018 | 13 February 2020 | 1 year, 190 days |
| María Paula Romo | .jpg) |
Ecuador |
South America | 31 August 2018 | 24 November 2020 | 2 years, 85 days |
| Muferiat Kamil | |
 Ethiopia |
Africa | 16 October 2018 | 6 October 2021 | 2 years, 355 days |
| Lindiwe Dlamini* | |
Eswatini |
Africa | 2 November 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 121 days |
| Katri Raik |  |
Estonia |
Europe | 26 November 2018 | 29 April 2019 | 154 days |
| Olga Sánchez Cordero | .JPG) |
 Mexico |
North America | 1 December 2018 | 26 August 2021 | 2 years, 268 days |
| Taina Bofferding | .jpg) |
 Luxembourg |
Europe | 5 December 2018 | 17 November 2023 | 4 years, 347 days |
| Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde |  |
Norway |
Europe | 22 January 2019 | 24 January 2020 | 1 year, 2 days |
| Raya Haffar El Hassan | .jpg) |
 Lebanon |
Asia | 31 January 2019 | 21 January 2020 | 355 days |
| Elżbieta Witek |  |
Poland |
Europe | 4 June 2019 | 9 August 2019 | 66 days |
| Maria Ohisalo |  |
Finland |
Europe | 6 June 2019 | 19 November 2021 | 2 years, 166 days |
| Astrid Krag |  |
Denmark |
Europe | 27 June 2019 | 21 January 2021 | 1 year, 208 days |
| Priti Patel |  |
United Kingdom |
Europe | 24 July 2019 | 6 September 2022 | 3 years, 44 days |
| Rita Tamašunienė |  |
 Lithuania |
Europe | 7 August 2019 | 7 December 2020 | 1 year, 122 days |
| Luciana Lamorgese |  |
Italy |
Europe | 5 September 2019 | 22 October 2022 | 3 years, 47 days |
| Sanae Takaichi | |
Japan |
Asia | 11 September 2019 | 16 September 2020 | 1 year, 5 days |
| Alicia Arango |  |
Colombia |
South America | 13 February 2020 | 22 December 2020 | 313 days |
| Janaina Tewaney | .jpg) |
Panama |
North America | 6 March 2020 | 10 October 2022 | 2 years, 218 days |
| Annelies Verlinden* | .jpg) |
Belgium |
Europe | 1 October 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 153 days |
| Jan Tinetti |  |
New Zealand |
Oceania | 20 November 2020 | 1 February 2023 | 2 years, 73 days |
| Agnė Bilotaitė |  |
Lithuania |
Europe | 7 December 2020 | 12 December 2024 | 4 years, 5 days |
| Sabine Monauni* |  |
Liechtenstein |
Europe | 25 March 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 343 days |
| Karen Andrews | .jpg) |
 Australia |
Oceania | 29 March 2021 | 23 May 2022 | 1 year, 55 days |
| Ayelet Shaked | .JPG) |
 Israel |
Asia | 13 June 2021 | 29 December 2022 | 1 year, 199 days |
| Alexandra Vela | .jpg) |
Ecuador |
South America | 14 July 2021 | 29 March 2022 | 258 days |
| Ana Revenco | .jpg) |
 Moldova |
Europe | 6 August 2021 | 14 July 2023 | 1 year, 342 days |
| Arsénia Massingue |  Mozambique |
Africa | 11 November 2021 | 28 August 2023 | 1 year, 290 days | |
| Krista Mikkonen | .jpg) |
Finland |
Europe | 19 November 2021 | 20 June 2023 | 1 year, 213 days |
| Nancy Faeser* | .jpg) |
 Germany |
Europe | 8 December 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 85 days |
| Hanke Bruins Slot | .jpg) |
Netherlands |
Europe | 10 January 2022 | 5 September 2023 | 1 year, 258 days |
| Izkia Siches |  |
 Chile |
America | 11 March 2022 | 6 September 2022 | 179 days |
| Tatjana Bobnar | .jpg) |
Slovenia |
Europe | 1 June 2022 | 14 December 2022 | 196 days |
| Clare O'Neil* | .jpg) |
Australia |
Oceania | 1 June 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 275 days |
| Suella Braverman |  |
United Kingdom |
Europe | 6 September 2022 | 19 October 2022 | 43 days |
| 25 October 2022 | 13 November 2023 | 1 year, 19 days | ||||
| Carolina Tohá* |  |
Chile |
America | 6 September 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 178 days |
| Sanja Ajanovič Hovnik Minister pro tempore |
.jpg) |
Slovenia |
Europe | 14 December 2022 | 21 February 2023 | 69 days |
| Barbara Edmonds |  |
New Zealand |
Oceania | 1 February 2023 | 27 November 2023 | 299 days |
| Ester Molné Soldevila* | |
 Andorra |
Europe | 17 May 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 290 days |
| Luisa María Alcalde Luján | .png) |
Mexico |
North America | 20 June 2023 | 30 September 2024 | 1 year, 102 days |
| Mari Rantanen* | .jpg) |
Finland |
Europe | 20 June 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 256 days |
| Niki Kerameus |  |
Greece |
Europe | 27 June 2023 | 14 June 2024 | 353 days |
| Brooke van Velden* |  |
New Zealand |
Oceania | 27 November 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 96 days |
| Élisabeth Baume-Schneider* | .jpg) |
Switzerland |
Europe | 1 January 2024 | Incumbent | 1 year, 61 days |
| Margarida Blasco* | |
Portugal |
Europe | 2 April 2024 | Incumbent | 335 days |
| Liu Shyh-fang* |  |
Taiwan |
Asia | 20 May 2024 | Incumbent | 287 days |
| Judith Uitermark* | |
Netherlands |
Europe | 2 July 2024 | Incumbent | 244 days |
| Yvette Cooper* | _2.jpg) |
United Kingdom |
Europe | 5 July 2024 | Incumbent | 241 days |
| Rosa Icela Rodríguez* |  |
Mexico |
North America | 1 October 2024 | Incumbent | 153 days |
| Kristi Noem* |  |
United States |
North America | 25 January 2025 | Incumbent | 37 days |
See also
Additional lists of female ministers
Notes
- Specific names for the governmental agency in charge of internal affairs vary by country. For example, this body is called the Department of Homeland Security in the United States. Likewise, this agency is called the Ministry of Peace in Ethiopia.
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