6. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Born in 1953 in La Plata, Buenos
Aires, Argentina, Cristina had
ambitions to work in law. But
when the military junta seized
control of Argentina, she and
her spouse fled to another
region of Santa Cruz. They
opened a law practice there,
and became involved in electoral politics in 1983.
Kirchner became a provincial delegate to the Justicialist Party convention, and was then elected to the provincial legislature. In the meantime, her husband was elected mayor of Río Gallegos, and she became the first lady when he assumed presidency in 2003. Her political influence grew rapidly as she twice represented Santa Cruz in the Argentine Senate and served in the Chamber of Deputies.
She decided to run for office, and won, making her the second woman to serve as President of Argentina, and the first directly elected female president. She was also successfully reelected in 2011! She is now one of the most influential women worldwide.