A woman in power ? On the brink of the campaign for the French presidential elections of 2007, the question is at the heart of the debate. The woman whose goal is the highest office in the land is subject to a barrage of criticism that compels her to explain even her conception of politics, i.e., the particular manner in which she would exercise power. The question is a burning one in the United States as well, where Hilary Clinton hopes to take her place in history. But is she up to the task ? For the first time, the public demand for answers is pressing, and for the first time, both the French and the Americans are seriously considering the possibility of electing a woman to the presidency. The “stateswoman” is no longer a dream, but a reality. Great Britain was first to show the way, with Margaret Thatcher. The governments of Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Liberia, and even Muslim countries like Bangladesh have been governed by women. Angela Merkel and Michelle Bachelet are current examples of women at the helm of state. In their exercise of critical political functions today, women no longer struggle against masculine supremacy, rather their fight is for access to power. What can one expect of power exercised in a feminine style ? Does gender really influence the specific way one executes command of the reins of state? Have the stakes of political power themselves actually changed? Christine Ockrent sought out these powerful women in conversation, not only to allow us to know them better, but to help us understand the various aspects of the polemic and the supremely high stakes it entails.