24/7 Insights

• The world is full of young state leaders. 
• Some of these leaders inherited their jobs or took them by force. 
• Among the nations on this list are authoritarian and totalitarian leaders. 
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

While the United States is grappling with electing a new president, many see it as a choice of two individuals past their prime, but this isn’t the case worldwide. In fact, some states have leaders you may even think are too young to run a country. With some members of this exclusive club as young as 36, some individuals this age are still finding their place in the world while two people this age run their own nations. 

14. Justin Trudeau

• Age: 52

At 52 years of age, Justin Trudeau is a Canadian politician who has served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada since 2015. Trudeau had historically low poll numbers in 2024 and was unlikely to win another election. 

13. Emmanuel Macron 

• Age: 46

An honorable mention goes to Emmanuel Macron, one of the youngest leaders of the G8 countries. Previously the minister of economics, Macron has been the 25th President of France since May 2017. 

12. Nayib Bukele 

• Age: 43

The 81st president of El Salvador, Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez, is a Salvadoran politician and businessman. Bukele served multiple positions in the government before assuming its top office. 

11. Serdar Berdimuhamedow 

• Age: 42

Serdar Berdimuhamedow, the son of the country’s long-standing authoritarian ruler, has been serving as Turkmenistan’s third president since May 2022. The father and son have a joint power-sharing agreement. 

10. Vjosa Osmani 

• Age: 42

The President of Kosovo since 2021, Vjosa Osmani, became only the second woman to hold the position in the nation. Running on an anti-corruption platform, Osmani hopes to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. 

9. Assimi Goita 

• Age: 41

A Malian military officer, Assimi Goita, has been the interim President of Mali since May 2021. Goita assumed power in a coup d’etat and declared himself the nation’s leader. 

8. Mahamat Deby

• Age: 40

Mahamat Indress Deby Itno, the leader of Chad since 2021, is the country’s seventh president. Deby assumed office after succeeding his father and predecessor, who died while in office during a military action. 

7. Kim Jong Un

• Age: 40

One of the world’s most feared leaders, Kim Jong Un, is the grandson of North Korea’s founder and first supreme leader. Kim assumed office of the totalitarian state in December 2011 after his father died. 

6. Mohammed bin Salman

• Age: 39

Mohammed bin Salman is the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is the country’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Bin Salman is the grandson of the nation’s founder and the seventh son of its current king. 

5. Gabriel Boric

• Age: 38

Chilean President Gabriel Boric won the country’s presidential election in 2021 after receiving 55.9% of the votes. Boric’s popularity came from playing a critical role in the country’s October 2020 constitutional referendum. 

4. Jakov Milatovic 

• Age: 37

The leader of Montenegro’s Europe Now! Pro-European political party Jakov Milatovic is Montenegro’s current President after serving as its previous minister of economic development. 

3. Milojko Spajic

• Age: 37

As the current Prime Minister of Montenegro, he is one of the youngest political leaders in the world. He was educated in Japan and later in Paris, which gave him a true sense of the world. 

2. Daniel Noboa 

• Age: 36

The heir to a banana fortune, Daniel Noboa, 36, is the leader of one of South America’s most prominent countries. Elected in November 2023, Noboa took office at 35 after serving two years in the National Assembly of Ecuador. 

1. Ibrahim Traore

• Age: 36

Assuming his role as the Interim President of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traore is the youngest state leader today. Traore assumed office in September 2022 after a coup d’etat ousted the previous president. In May 2024, it was announced Traore would remain in office for another five years.

 

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