List of female speakers of national and territorial upper houses
This list presents female speakers of national and territorial upper houses of their respective countries or territories. The upper house, often called the Senate, is the one of two chambers in a bicameral legislature. The upper house usually has less power than the lower house. In some countries, its members are appointed rather than elected by popular votes. Speaker of the upper house is the one who takes office as acting head of state in presidential republic.
National
[edit] Denotes incumbent speaker
- Italics denotes acting speaker and states that are either de facto (with limited to no international recognition) or defunct.
| Name | Image | Country | Legislative Body | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olga Rudel-Zeynek | 
|
 Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 December 1927 | 31 May 1928 | 182 days |
| 1 June 1932 | 30 November 1932 | 182 days | ||||
| Ingeborg Hansen | 
|
 Denmark
|
Landstinget | 16 March 1952 | 24 April 1953 | 3 years, 39 days |
| 7 October 1952 | 21 September 1953 | 349 days | ||||
| Fathimath Ibrahim Didi | 
|
 Maldives
|
Senate | 1 January 1953 | 1 January 1954 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Johanna Bayer |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 1953 | 31 December 1953 | 183 days |
| Helene Tschitschko |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 1965 | 30 June 1965 | 180 days |
| 1 July 1969 | 31 December 1969 | 183 days | ||||
| 1 January 1974 | 30 June 1974 | 180 days | ||||
| María Lavalle Urbina |
|
 Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 1 December 1965 | 31 August 1966 | 273 days |
| Muriel Fergusson | 
|
 Canada
|
Senate | 14 December 1972 | 11 September 1974 | 1 year, 271 days |
| Doris Louise Johnson |
|
 Bahamas
|
Senate | 1973 | 1982 | 9 years, 0 days |
| Guadalupe López Bretón |
|
Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 1973 | 1974 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Tras Honan |
|
 Ireland
|
Seanad Éireann | 13 May 1982 | 23 February 1983 | 286 days |
| 25 April 1987 | 1 November 1989 | 2 years, 190 days | ||||
| Isabel Perón | 
|
 Argentina
|
Senate | 12 October 1973 | 1 July 1974 | 262 days |
| Martha Chávez Padrón |
|
Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 1980 | 1980 | 365 days |
| Jeanette Rose Grant-Woodham |
|
 Jamaica
|
Senate | 21 August 1984 | 1989 | 4 years, 133 days |
| Doris June Garcia |
|
 Belize
|
Senate | 21 December 1984 | 31 July 1989 | 4 years, 222 days |
| Helga Hieden-Sommer |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 1987 | 31 December 1987 | 183 days |
| Jane Ellen Usher |
|
Belize
|
Senate | 15 September 1989 | 1 June 1993 | 3 years, 259 days |
| Margaret Neckles |
|
 Grenada
|
Senate | 1990 | 1995 | 5 years, 0 days |
| Anna Elisabeth Haselbach |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 1991 | 30 June 1991 | 180 days |
| 1 July 1995 | 31 December 1995 | 183 days | ||||
| 1 January 2000 | 30 June 2000 | 181 days | ||||
| 1 July 2004 | 31 December 2004 | 183 days | ||||
| Josi Meier | 
|
 Switzerland
|
Council of States | 25 November 1991 | 30 November 1992 | 1 year, 5 days |
| Millicent Percival |
|
 Antigua and Barbuda
|
Senate | 1994 | 2004 | 10 years, 0 days |
| Katica Ivanišević |
|
 Croatia
|
Chamber of Counties | 23 May 1994 | 28 March 2001 | 6 years, 309 days |
| Margaret Reid | 
|
 Australia
|
Senate | 20 August 1996 | 19 August 2002 | 5 years, 364 days |
| Alicja Grześkowiak | 
|
 Poland
|
Senate | 21 October 1997 | 18 October 2001 | 3 years, 362 days |
| Elizabeth Zabaneh |
|
Belize
|
Senate | 12 September 1998 | July 2001 | 2 years, 292 days |
| Libuše Benešová |  Czech Republic
|
Senate | 16 December 1998 | 23 November 2000 | 1 year, 343 days | |
| Esperanza Aguirre | .jpg)
|
 Spain
|
Senate | 9 February 1999 | 16 October 2002 | 3 years, 249 days |
| Naledi Pandor | 
|
 South Africa
|
National Council of Provinces | 21 June 1999 | 4 May 2004 | 4 years, 318 days |
| María de los Ángeles Moreno |
|
Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 2000 | 2000 | 365 days |
| Françoise Saudan | 
|
Switzerland
|
Council of States | 27 November 2000 | 25 November 2001 | 363 days |
| Johanna Auer |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 28 December 2000 | 31 December 2000 | 3 days |
| Sylvia Flores | .jpg)
|
Belize
|
Senate | 14 August 2001 | 4 February 2003 | 1 year, 174 days |
| Yolanda Eugenia González |
|
Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 1 September 2001 | 31 August 2002 | 364 days |
| Uta Barbara Pühringer |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 2002 | 30 June 2002 | 180 days |
| Linda Baboolal |
|
 Trinidad and Tobago
|
Senate | 5 April 2002 | 17 December 2007 | 5 years, 256 days |
| Sharon R. Wilson |
|
Bahamas
|
Senate | 23 May 2002 | 23 May 2007 | 5 years, 0 days |
| 23 May 2012 | 24 May 2017 | 5 years, 1 day | ||||
| Mirtha Quevedo Acalinovic |
|
 Bolivia
|
Chamber of Senators | August 2002 | 2003 | 153 days |
| Grace Minor[a 1] |
|
 Liberia
|
Senate | September 2002 | 2003 | ? |
| Yvonne Timmerman-Buck | 
|
 Netherlands
|
Eerste Kamer | 17 June 2003 | 6 October 2009 | 6 years, 111 days |
| Leslie-Ann Seon |
|
Grenada
|
Senate | 9 January 2004 | 2006 | 1 year, 357 days |
| Joyce Kgoali | South Africa
|
National Council of Provinces | 4 May 2004 | 21 November 2004 | 201 days | |
| Anne-Marie Lizin | 
|
 Belgium
|
Senate | 20 July 2004 | 12 July 2007 | 2 years, 357 days |
| Chikage Oogi | 
|
 Japan
|
House of Councillors | 30 July 2004 | 28 July 2007 | 2 years, 363 days |
| Hazelyn Francis |
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
Senate | 7 January 2005 | 17 July 2014 | 9 years, 191 days |
| Claudia Blum | _(cropped).jpg)
|
 Colombia
|
Senate | 20 July 2005 | 20 July 2006 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Edna Madzongwe | 
|
 Zimbabwe
|
Senate | 30 November 2005 | 11 September 2018 | 12 years, 285 days |
| Sissy Roth-Halvax |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 2006 | 30 June 2006 | 180 days |
| Gelane Zwane |
|
 Swaziland
|
Senate | 23 February 2006 | 23 October 2018 | 12 years, 242 days |
| Helene Hayman, Baroness Hayman | 
|
 United Kingdom
|
House of Lords | 4 July 2006 | 31 August 2011 | 5 years, 58 days |
| Rosemary Husbands-Mathurin | _(cropped).jpg)
|
 Saint Lucia
|
Senate | 2007 | 2008 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Lynn Holowesko |
|
Bahamas
|
Senate | 23 May 2007 | 23 May 2012 | 5 years, 0 days |
| Nancy Patricia Gutiérrez | 
|
Colombia
|
Senate | 20 July 2007 | 20 July 2008 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Andrea Gill |
|
Belize
|
Senate | 14 March 2008 | 3 February 2012 | 3 years, 326 days |
| Joan Purcell |
|
Grenada
|
Senate | 20 August 2008 | 20 February 2013 | 11 years, 285 days |
| Rose Francine Rogombé |
|
 Gabon
|
Senate | 16 February 2009 | 9 June 2009 | 113 days |
| 9 June 2009 | 27 February 2015 | 5 years, 263 days | ||||
| Dušanka Majkić |
|
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
House of Peoples | 26 February 2009 | 14 March 2009 | 16 days |
| 14 July 2010 | 20 May 2011 | 310 days | ||||
| Erika Forster-Vannini | .jpg)
|
Switzerland
|
Council of States | 27 November 2009 | 26 November 2010 | 364 days |
| Ana María Romero | 
|
Bolivia
|
Chamber of Senators | 19 January 2010 | 26 October 2010 | 298 days |
| Hannelore Kraft | 
|
 Germany
|
Bundesrat | 1 November 2010 | 31 October 2011 | 364 days |
| Susanne Neuwirth |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 2011 | 31 December 2011 | 183 days |
| Frances D'Souza, Baroness D'Souza | 
|
United Kingdom
|
House of Lords | 1 September 2011 | 31 August 2016 | 4 years, 365 days |
| Valentina Matviyenko | 
|
 Russia
|
Federation Council | 21 September 2011 | Incumbent | 13 years, 71 days |
| Sabine de Bethune |
|
Belgium
|
Senate | 11 October 2011 | 14 October 2014 | 3 years, 3 days |
| Beatriz Rojkés de Alperovich[a 2] | 
|
Argentina
|
Senate | 30 November 2011 | 28 February 2014 | 2 years, 90 days |
| Kerryann Ifill |
|
 Barbados
|
Senate | 19 March 2012 | 5 June 2018 | 6 years, 78 days |
| Gabriela Montaño | _Chamber_of_Deputies_of_Bolivia.jpg)
|
Bolivia
|
Chamber of Senators | 24 July 2012 | 25 January 2015 | 2 years, 185 days |
| Ankie Broekers-Knol | _(cropped).jpg)
|
Netherlands
|
Eerste Kamer | 2 July 2013 | 11 June 2019 | 5 years, 344 days |
| Teresa Efua Asangono |
|
 Equatorial Guinea
|
Senate | 12 July 2013 | Incumbent | 11 years, 142 days |
| Isabel Allende | 
|
 Chile
|
Senate | 11 March 2014 | 11 March 2015 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Thandi Modise | .jpg)
|
South Africa
|
National Council of Provinces | 21 May 2014 | 22 May 2019 | 5 years, 1 day |
| Ana Blatnik | 
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 2014 | 31 December 2014 | 183 days |
| Alincia Williams-Grant |
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
Senate | 17 July 2014 | Incumbent | 10 years, 137 days |
| Cristina Lizardo | .jpg)
|
 Dominican Republic
|
Senate | 16 August 2014 | 16 August 2016 | 2 years, 0 days |
| Christine Defraigne | .jpg)
|
Belgium
|
Senate | 14 October 2014 | 14 December 2018 | 5 years, 353 days |
| Sonja Zwazl | 
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 2015 | 30 June 2015 | 180 days |
| Raziah Ahmed |
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
Senate | 3 February 2015 | 23 September 2015 | 232 days |
| Lucie Milebou Aubusson | 
|
Gabon
|
Senate | 27 February 2015 | 30 August 2023 | 8 years, 184 days |
| Christine Kangaloo | 
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
Senate | 23 September 2015 | 17 January 2023 | 7 years, 116 days |
| Margaret Mensah-Williams | .jpg)
|
 Namibia
|
National Council | 8 December 2015 | 9 December 2019 | 4 years, 1 day |
| Gabriela Michetti | 
|
Argentina
|
Senate | 10 December 2015 | 10 December 2019 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Malu Dreyer | 
|
Germany
|
Bundesrat | 1 November 2016 | 31 October 2017 | 364 days |
| Sonja Ledl-Rossmann | Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 2017 | 30 June 2017 | 180 days | |
| Katherine Forbes-Smith |
|
Bahamas
|
Senate | 24 May 2017 | 5 December 2019 | 2 years, 195 days |
| Mamonaheng Mokitimi | 
|
 Lesotho
|
Senate | 11 July 2017 | Incumbent | 7 years, 143 days |
| Lucía Topolansky | .png)
|
 Uruguay
|
Chamber of Senators | 13 September 2017 | 14 February 2020 | 2 years, 154 days |
| Karin Keller-Sutter | .jpg)
|
Switzerland
|
Council of States | 28 November 2017 | 27 November 2018 | 364 days |
| Jeannine Giraudy-McIntyre |
|
Saint Lucia
|
Senate | 20 March 2018 | 17 August 2021 | 3 years, 150 days |
| Elisabetta Casellati | 
|
 Italy
|
Senate of the Republic | 24 March 2018 | 12 October 2022 | 4 years, 202 days |
| Keria Ibrahim |
|
 Ethiopia
|
House of Federation | 6 May 2018 | 9 June 2020 | 2 years, 34 days |
| Inge Posch-Gruska | .jpg)
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 2018 | 1 January 2019 | 184 days |
| Mabel Chinomona | .jpg)
|
Zimbabwe
|
Senate | 11 September 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 81 days |
| Princess Lindiwe Dlamini |
|
Eswatini
|
Senate | 23 October 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 39 days |
| Adriana Salvatierra | _Chamber_of_Senators_of_Bolivia.jpg)
|
Bolivia
|
Senate | 18 January 2019 | 14 November 2019 | 300 days |
| Jewel Taylor | _(cropped).jpg)
|
Liberia
|
Senate | 22 January 2018 | 22 January 2024 | 6 years, 0 days |
| Dariga Nazarbayeva | _(cropped).jpg)
|
 Kazakhstan
|
Senate | 20 March 2019 | 2 May 2020 | 1 year, 43 days |
| Tanzila Norbaeva | .jpg)
|
 Uzbekistan
|
Senate | 21 June 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 163 days |
| Sabine Laruelle | .jpg)
|
Belgium
|
Senate | 15 July 2019 | 13 October 2020 | 1 year, 90 days |
| Akiko Santō | .jpg)
|
Japan
|
House of Councillors | 1 August 2019 | 3 August 2022 | 3 years, 2 days |
| Mónica Fernández Balboa | 
|
Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 1 September 2019 | 31 August 2020 | 365 days |
| Mónica Eva Copa | _Alejandra_Vaca,_Chamber_of_Senators_of_Bolivia.jpg)
|
Bolivia
|
Senate | 14 November 2019 | 3 November 2020 | 355 days |
| Pilar Llop | .jpg)
|
Spain
|
Senate | 3 December 2019 | 8 July 2021 | 1 year, 217 days |
| Mildred Hall-Watson |
|
Bahamas
|
Senate | 5 December 2019 | 6 October 2021 | 1 year, 305 days |
| Natalya Kochanova | 
|
 Belarus
|
Council of the Republic | 9 December 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 357 days |
| Cristina Fernández de Kirchner | .jpg)
|
Argentina
|
Senate | 10 December 2019 | 10 December 2023 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Claudia Ledesma Abdala[a 3] | .jpg)
|
Argentina
|
Senate | 10 December 2019 | 10 December 2023 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Beatriz Argimón | .jpg)
|
Uruguay
|
Chamber of Senators | 1 March 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 275 days |
| Adriana Muñoz D'Albora | 
|
Chile
|
Senate | 17 March 2020 | 17 March 2021 | 1 year, 0 days |
| Andrea Eder-Gitschthaler |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 2020 | 31 December 2020 | 183 days |
| Stephanie D'Hose | 
|
Belgium
|
Senate | 13 October 2020 | 18 May 2024 | 3 years, 218 days |
| Carolyn Trench-Sandiford |
|
Belize
|
Senate | 11 December 2020 | Incumbent | 3 years, 356 days |
| Anca Dragu | .jpg)
|
 Romania
|
Senate | 21 December 2020 | 23 November 2021 | 337 days |
| Kamala Harris | .jpg)
|
 United States
|
Senate | 20 January 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 346 days |
| Yasna Provoste | _(cropped).jpg)
|
Chile
|
Senate | 17 March 2021 | 25 August 2021 | 161 days |
| Ximena Rincón | 
|
25 August 2021 | 11 March 2022 | 198 days | ||
| Olga Sánchez Cordero | 
|
Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 1 September 2021 | 31 August 2022 | 364 days |
| Lashell Adderley |
|
Bahamas
|
Senate | 6 October 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 56 days |
| Christine Schwarz-Fuchs |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 2022 | 30 June 2022 | 180 days |
| Korinna Schumann | _(cropped).jpg)
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 2022 | 31 December 2022 | 183 days |
| Sue Lines | 
|
Australia
|
Senate | 26 July 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 128 days |
| Dessima Williams | 
|
Grenada
|
Senate | 31 August 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 92 days |
| Brigitte Häberli-Koller | .jpg)
|
Switzerland
|
Council of States | 28 November 2022 | 4 December 2023 | 1 year, 6 days |
| Patty Murray[a 4] | .jpg)
|
United States
|
Senate | 3 January 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 333 days |
| Raymonde Gagné | .jpg)
|
Canada
|
Senate | 12 May 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 203 days |
| Claudia Arpa |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 July 2023 | 31 December 2023 | 183 days |
| Ana Lilia Rivera | 
|
Mexico
|
Senate of the Republic | 1 September 2023 | 31 August 2024 | 365 days |
| Paulette Missambo |
|
Gabon
|
Senate | 11 September 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 81 days |
| Kandia Camara | 
|
 Ivory Coast
|
Senate | 12 October 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 50 days |
| Manuela Schwesig | 
|
Germany
|
Bundesrat | 1 November 2023 | 31 October 2024 | 365 days |
| Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska | 
|
Poland
|
Senate | 13 November 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 18 days |
| Eva Herzog | .jpg)
|
Switzerland
|
Council of States | 4 December 2023 | Incumbent | 363 days |
| Victoria Villarruel | 
|
Argentina
|
Senate | 10 December 2023 | Incumbent | 357 days |
| Margit Göll |
|
Austria
|
Federal Council | 1 January 2024 | 30 June 2024 | 181 days |
| Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence[a 5] |
|
Liberia
|
Senate | 15 January 2024 | Incumbent | 321 days |
| Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane | .jpg)
|
South Africa
|
National Council of Provinces | 15 June 2024 | Incumbent | 169 days |
| Valérie De Bue | _(cropped).jpg)
|
Belgium
|
Senate | 25 July 2024 | Incumbent | 129 days |
| Anke Rehlinger | .jpg)
|
Germany
|
Bundesrat | 1 November 2024 | Incumbent | 30 days |
Territorial
[edit] Denotes incumbent speaker of parliament
| Name | Image | Territory | Legislative Body | Mandate start | Mandate end | Term length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carol Bassett |
|
 Bermuda
|
Senate | 2008 | 19 July 2017 | 9 years, 199 days |
| Clare Christian |
|
 Isle of Man
|
Legislative Council and Tynwald | 12 July 2011 | 19 July 2016 | 5 years, 7 days |
| Joan Dillas-Wright |
|
Bermuda
|
Senate | 19 July 2017 | Incumbent | 7 years, 135 days |