Men in their late 70 s running countries

Vance is between 40 and 65 and although I understand why you are saying that certain ages make better leaders of nations it cant always be true. Some are horrific at 42. Some are wiser at 67. Sometimes women are better leaders. Sometimes they're not. Statistics would be interesting but it all comes down to the person and policies. Throughout history, you can see that some leaders were somewhat manic. Some atheists make good leaders. Sometimes a religious person can be a good leader. Maybe the year when leaders agree with one another and care for the planet will spawn a century of sanity but the way I see it, greed always ruins that chance. Immaturity and stupidity feeds this chaos.

Totally agree with nanna8 on this subject. Age does not determine how wise a person is. It also does not guarantee suitability to be in a world leader.
A twenty year old could me more sensible than a past their sell by date oldie.

Should the men wanting to go to war have to fight each other instead of sending their country's children?

Should men be prohibited from the positions entirely and have women lead the world for a change?

An interesting topic, Nanna8. I am curious to hear others' opinions.

When have women leaders stated that if they dont get what they want they will plant bombs throughout entire villages and feel proud to detonate the planted bombs at once, killing masses and feel so accomplished in their decision to murder and maime helpless innocent families and children (even babies) that they they do it again and again. Not even wild animals have such purposeless means of survival. What is wrong with these egocentric, cold minds in power? They have lost their empathy for humanity and are too far gone to use logical reasoning as a path forward. They should be locked up forever for the ruins caused. They have no sense to negotiated the future - cant see farther than the end of their nose. Always thinking of ego, personal wealth and monopoly. All the people are waiting for someone else to fix it. That is à cop out plan. We need a 60s revival. The leaders are outnumbered by NORMAL people - their only fear. Power to the people. The lack of organized revolt is our demise.

I don't think a person, male or female, with obvious symptoms of dementia should be allowed to rule without challenge.

I get why you’re frustrated. Decisions about war made by leaders far from the front lines can feel deeply unfair, especially when younger people bear the consequences. But framing it in terms of age or gender risks oversimplifying the issue.

Leaders like Donald Trump or Benjamin Netanyahu aren’t in power because of their age, they’re there because of political systems, voter choices, and party dynamics. History has shown both effective and ineffective leaders across all age groups.

Rather than focusing on whether someone is ‘too old’ or male, it might be more useful to ask: Are they fit to lead? Are they making responsible decisions? Are there proper checks and balances in place?

Experience can be valuable in leadership, just as fresh perspectives can be. The real issue is ensuring leaders, of any age or gender, are accountable, capable, and acting in the public interest. I wonder if the OP's should be aiming their attack on the failures of democracy - and how it can be improved- rather than be triggered by the age and sex.

Biden was over 80 and Reagan was in his late seventies in their term of office, presumably they were a failure of democracy too.

Galaxy

Biden was over 80 and Reagan was in his late seventies in their term of office, presumably they were a failure of democracy too.

I don’t think DAR was equating the appointment of old men to a leadership role with a failure of democracy. Though she is trying to completely change the subject…p

Fair point maizie.
I do find it interesting that often concerns about age and sex come about only at certain times, e.g when it a leader that people don't like. It also makes it very difficult for the opposing side to complain about age etc.

I’m not really sure that age is necessarily a handicap. So long as a person retains their mental capacity they can still be good at their ‘job’ when they age. I’m thinking of a couple of men, Warren Buffet, one of the world's most successful investors, and Rupert Murdoch, running a media empire, who were still going strong in their 80s and early 90s. Not that I have any time for either of them, but their ability in old age can’t be denied.

I wasn’t trying to change the subject, more to broaden it. Concerns about individual leaders are valid, but I think it’s also worth looking at the systems that put them in power and how those might be improved.

To lead a country you need a certain level of experience of the world and that comes with age. Elderly is 75 and over and in my view too old to be running a country.
I would far rather see more women in charge. I don't think we would have anything like the wars and conflicts we have at the moment if more women were at the helm.

Dementia most certainly comes to mind Maremia!

MaizieD . I respect and understand your view. However............. whether we like to acknowledge this fact or not, none of us are as sharp as we think we are when when we reach late 70s . Me included ! There are exceptions of course but they are very much in the minority.

I think the normal rules should apply ( hollow laughter).

Politicians should retire at retirement age.

If we take that into account presumably we have to look at the other end of the scale, there is research which seems to indicate that young people's brains arent fully developed in terms of decision making until 25, I am not aware of any particularly young leaders but certainly young people take positions of considerable responsibility - MPs, etc.

I tend to agree that age is a factor, Reagan probs had Alzheimers towards the end of his term as President and Biden was quite frail and didn’t seem entirely ‘with it’. And as for Trump, well he might have been a nightmare President 30 years ago but I do think there are signs of dementia probs exploited by Vance and other far right cronies to rule by proxy.

Sarnia

To lead a country you need a certain level of experience of the world and that comes with age. Elderly is 75 and over and in my view too old to be running a country.
I would far rather see more women in charge. I don't think we would have anything like the wars and conflicts we have at the moment if more women were at the helm.

I agree on both counts.
I think physically the job of a world leader is also tough, with long hours and frequent overseas travel too, so although some people are mentally capable of doing the role beyond 75, physically they aren’t.

And yet Jacinda Arden was rubbish so 🤷‍♀️

We had a succession of 'young' leaders, Blair, Cameron, Truss, Sunak, They are hardly a recommendation for youth leading the country. Mind you Johnson, May, Starmer and Brown are no recommendation for older PM's . On the other hand, Churchill, Roosevelt. Lloyd-George led us to victory in wartime. All old, ill or drunks.

Golda Meir, Mrs Banderanaike, Mrs Thatcher, Sheika Hasseina do not suggest women leaders are any different to men.

All voters get a chance to decide who will make the best leader when they vote.

I keep uoting the saying of H L Mencken, but for the USA it is the only possible explanation for the current and immediately past President

As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron

And there we have it. Biden, now Trump are the results of the perfection of democracy. Depressing isn't it?

Still at least the Hungarians are defying democracy by throwing out the old and welcoming the new.

And presumably lots of people didn't like Thatcher.

Yes agree FGT and also the relatively youthful Justin Trudeau.

I agree M0nica, female leaders do not seem any less prone to warmongering or playing ‘tough’ than their male counterparts.

A few people have suggested that we should have more women in charge. I would only say the last war this country had was the Falklands war and and Margret Thatcher was running the country. Female and only 53 when she became PM. It is the character and capabilities of the person that matters not their gender or age.