Dutch Female Leaders

Somali-born Dutch-American activist, feminist, and scholar Ayaan Hirsi Ali is the founder of an organization for the defense of women's rights, the AHA Foundation. She actively opposes forced marriage, honor violence, and child marriage. A former Muslim, she now identifies as an atheist and is a vocal critic of Islam. She is a recipient of the Lantos Human Rights Prize.

The only daughter of Habsburg archduke Maximilian I, who became the Holy Roman Emperor, Margaret of Austria was also the duchess of Savoy by virtue of her marriage to Philibert II, Duke of Savoy. A patron of the arts, she owned a huge library and had several painters at her court.

Though a pianist’s daughter, Sigrid Kaag grew up studying Middle East studies and international relations. Initially a Dutch diplomat to places such as Beirut and Vienna, she later worked for the UN and then joined Democrats 66. She now leads her country as its First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

Ancilla van de Leest is a Dutch former fetish model, presenter, producer, and activist. She appeared in the Dutch edition of the famous Playboy magazine on a couple of occasions before establishing herself as a popular fetish model, specializing in corsets, latex clothes, stockings, and high heels. She then quit her modeling career and became a politician. 

Sylvana Simons is a politician and former TV presenter. She is credited with founding a political party named BIJ1, which is widely regarded as an egalitarian anti-racist party. Since 2021, she has been serving as a member of the House of Representatives; Sylvana Simons is the first black leader to be elected to the House of Representatives in Dutch history.

Rita Verdonk is a Dutch businesswoman and former politician. She is credited with founding a political party called Trots op Nederland and served as its leader from 2007 to 2011. She also held the office of the Minister of Justice and Security from 2003 to 2006. After retiring from active politics, Verdonk has been focusing on public and private sector. 

Erica Terpstra is a Dutch retired politician and former swimmer. As a swimmer, she competed at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics, winning a silver medal and a bronze medal in the latter. Erica Terpstra also won a gold medal at the 1962 European Championships. She also served as the State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport from 1994 to 1998.