Former United States President Barack Obama has said he believes governments around the world could perform better if women were placed in charge for two years.
Obama made the remarks during a conversation with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin at Salem State University in Massachusetts on September 21, 2026.
Reflecting on his time in the White House, the former president said he had sometimes imagined what would happen if women were given leadership of every government for a two-year period.
Obama acknowledged that such an arrangement would not result in perfect governance but said he believed it would produce improvements.
His comments came during a wider discussion about leadership, political divisions and the need to create opportunities for younger generations to take on positions of influence.
Obama also said American society may be less divided at the grassroots level than national politics and media coverage sometimes suggest.
The former president previously expressed a similar view in 2019 while speaking at a leadership event in Singapore. At the time, he said putting women in charge of every country for two years could lead to improvements in areas including living standards and other social outcomes.
During the latest discussion, Obama further emphasised the importance of giving younger people greater opportunities to participate in leadership and public life.
His latest comments have since circulated widely online, renewing attention to his views on female leadership and political renewal.
