With her election to the helm of New Zealand’s government today (Oct. 19), Jacinda Ardern became the world’s twelfth 30-something head of state or government.
None quite match William Pitt the Younger, who became British prime minister at the age of 24 in 1783. They’ll also be lucky to better Pitt’s more-than-two-decade stint in power. The longest serving of the current crop is North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, who succeeded his father nearly six years ago at the age of—probably—33. (North Korean authorities say he’s 35, but that’s thought to have been artificially lined up to be 40 years after his father and 70 after his grandfather.)
The European microstate of San Marino has an impressive pedigree of youthful leaders. The country is headed by two Captains Regent, who serve six-month terms before being rotated out. Earlier this year, one of those was 28-year-old Vanessa D’Ambrosio, who was replaced in October with a pair of comparatively wizened men in their 30s.