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Obama: Women are "indisputably better" leaders than men

Barack Obama speaking in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Former President Obama speaking in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Dec. 13. Photo: Zahim Mohd/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama said Monday that he believes living standards and economic outcomes would improve if women led every country in the world, per the BBC.

The big picture: Speaking at a private leadership event in Singapore, Obama said he currently does not plan on getting back into political leadership because he believes in leaders stepping aside. "If you look at the world and look at the problems it's usually old people — usually old men — not getting out of the way," he said.

What he's saying: "Now, women, I just want you to know: you are not perfect, but what I can say pretty indisputably is that you're better than us [men]."

  • "I'm absolutely confident that for two years if every nation on earth was run by women, you would see a significant improvement across the board on just about everything ... living standards and outcomes."
  • "It is important for political leaders to try and remind themselves that you are there to do a job, but you are not there for life, you are not there in order to prop up your own sense of self importance or your own power."

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