During the COVID-19 pandemic, which is one of the biggest epidemics of the last century
and can be regarded as a global tragedy, leaders had to mobilize many resources of their
countries quickly and persuade their citizens to change their routine behavior. The
approach followed by the leaders of the country in their efforts to convince their people
has been an important factor in their success or failure. This paper aims to examine with
Michel Foucault’s notion of biopower, and discourses and behaviors of women leaders in
countries against the global pandemic which cost high life tool gave harsh messages to the
humanity. For this purpose, leadership examples in Finland, Iceland, Taiwan and New
Zealand will be examined in detail using the discourse analysis technique. As a result, in
current times when populist and autocratic leader style is on the rise, women leaders not
only took their countries to success, but they also managed to inspire other countries.
More importantly, the struggle of women leaders against the pandemic revealed that a
different management style is possible.