Dynasties, daughters and the dilemma of democracy in Southeast Asia
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra looks on after a meeting at Government House in Bangkok on June 24, 2025. © Reuters
David Hutt is a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) and Southeast Asia columnist at the Diplomat. He writes the Europe Meets Southeast Asia newsletter.
Of the seven women who have held the highest political offices in Southeast Asia, only one (former Singaporean President Halimah Yacob) is not the daughter, sister or wife of a senior male politician.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
an hour ago
- Nikkei Asia
Trump says he would consider bombing Iran again, drops sanctions relief
People walk in Tehran on June 24, shortly after a ceasefire with Israel. (West Asia News Agency via Reuters) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, on Friday, dropped plans to lift sanctions on Iran and said he would consider bombing Iran again if Tehran is enriching uranium to worrisome levels. Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei's first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites.
Nikkei Asia
2 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Putin tells Trump that Russia has to respond to Ukrainian attacks
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a video meeting with members of the government on June 4. (Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/pool via Reuters) MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday that he would have to respond to high-profile Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia's nuclear-capable bomber fleet and a deadly bridge bombing that Moscow blamed on Kyiv. The war in Ukraine is intensifying after nearly four months of cajoling and threats to both Moscow and Kyiv from Trump, who says he wants peace after more than three years of the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
Nikkei Asia
2 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Intense Russian air attack on Ukraine's capital kills four
Fire and smoke rise in Kyiv, Ukraine, after a Russian drone strike on June 6. © Reuters KYIV (Reuters) -- Russia mounted an intense missile and drone barrage of the Ukrainian capital overnight, killing four people, Ukrainian officials said, as powerful explosions reverberated across the city. The attack followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via U.S. leader Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia.
