Iron Lady

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Iron Lady is a nickname that has frequently been used to describe female heads of government around the world. The term describes a "strong willed" woman. The term was initially applied to Margaret Thatcher, nicknamed so in 1976 by the Soviet media for her staunch opposition to communism.

Leaders who have earned the unofficial title (some of them postfactum) include:

Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and 1980 to 1984
Golda Meir, the Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974
Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990
Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany since 2005
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the President of Liberia since 2006
Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948
Biljana Plavšić, served in the Bosnian Serb government from 1992 to 1998.

Some female politicians have been given similar nicknames:

The Iron Butterfly is a nickname of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos.
Iron Rita is a nickname of Dutch minister Rita Verdonk

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