World Leaders:
How Attractive Are They

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Slovenia
Prime Minister
Anton Rop

Born: Dec. 27, 1960
Ljubljabna, Slovenia

Elected: 2002

• Master's degree in economics
• Previously minister of Finance

Croatia
Prime Minister
Ivo Sanader

Born: June 8, 1953

Appointed: 2003

• PhD in Romance languages and comparative literature from Innsbruck University in Austria
• Fluent in English, French, German, and Italian
• Married with two children

Eritrea
President
Isaias Afewerki

Born: Feb. 2, 1946
Kfar Malal, Israel

Elected: 1993

• Founding member of Eritrean People's Front, fighting Ethiopia. Commanded a unit.
• There have been no subsequent elections since independence.

• A Sinhalese Buddhist
• Lawyer

Sri Lanka
President
Chandrika Kumaratunga

Born: June 29, 1945
Colombo, (Ceylon)

Elected: 1994, 1999

• Her mother and father were Prime Ministers
• Her husband, a film actor who went into politics, was assassinated. Her father was also assassinated.
• Degree in political science from the University of Paris
• Her opponent was assassinated in 1999
• A Tamil Tiger suicide bomber made an attempt on her life just before the election.  The bomb exploded near her and damaged her right eye.
• She has a daughter and a son

• A new act of succession allowed a female to take the throne (if the king had no male heirs)
• Married a French diplomat.  Two sons.
• Fond of public appearances.  Grants television interviews.
• A talented painter.  Illustrated a Danish version of Lord of the Rings, as well as helped translate.
• A chain smoker.

• Studied economics and business at Mamara University
• Played semi-professional football for 16 years
• Worked for a transport company
• As mayor of Istanbul, beautified the city and improved transportation
• Seems to be pursuing an Islamic agenda, frowned upon by the secular government
• Married with two sons and two daughters

• His father was chief of the powerful Populzai clan
• Fought against the Soviets in the 1980s
• Speaks six languages
• Married to a doctor.
• Initially approved of the formation of the Taliban, but turned against it when they assassinated his father
• Survived an assassination attempt in 2002

• PhD in economics
• Was a Communist, then a Socialist leader
• Imprisoned for corruption in 1993.  Acquitted.
• Was Prime Minister twice before, briefly, but forced to resign for various reasons. Called the "yo-yo" prime minister for bouncing in and out of office.

• Graduated from Duke University in North Carolina

• Son of a Spanish immigrant and his cook. Spent his early years with a wealthy farming family.
• Studied law at the University of Havana
• Is an atheist.  
• Led revolution against Batista and made Cuba communist.

• Son of a former president of Panama
• Studied economics and political science at Texas A&M
• Married with three children

• One of 16 children. Father was a bricklayer; mother a fishmonger
• Worked as a shoeshine boy
• Received a soccer scholarship and pumped gas to attend college.  Later earned a PhD in economics at Stanford.
• Worked as a professor, and as a consultant for organizations such as the World Bank and United Nations
• Married to a Belgian anthropologist

• Graduated from Teaching Institute and Agricultural Academy
• Served in the Soviet Army
• Chairman of a collective farm
• Is an authoritarian leader bordering on dictator.  To avoid impeachment, replaced the parliament by force and extended his term.

• Historian and journalist
• Was vice president during the Bolivian Gas War.  The president fled the country.
• Is demanding that Chile return a portion of seacoast to Bolivia.

• Studied geomechanics at Beijing Institute of Geology
• Political party: communist

• Graduated top of his class in aviation sciences at Air Force Academy. Rose up through the air force ranks.
• Became president in 1981 when Sadat was assassinated 

• Law degree from Columbia. Doctorate from George Washington University.
• Fluent in seven languages
• Worked for a New York law firm.  Approached to enter Georgian politics. Won a seat in parliament.
• Encouraged demonstration against Shevardnadze's corrupt government and won election.

• Doctorate in political science
• Practiced law and taught college
• Married with two children (twins)

• Studied law
• Former mayor of Guatemala City

• Was Prime Minister in the 1970s. His father took over the position until his death in 1990.

• Worth $20 billion

• Did not graduate from university.

• Became leader of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
• Fan of Barcelona football team

• Lawyer
• Married with two children