# What major Western nation is next in line for a first minority prez/PM? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-western-nation-is-next-in-line-for-a-first-minority-prez-pm/471412 "2008-11-06T04:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-western-nation-is-next-in-line-for-a-first-minority-prez-pm/471412/41 "2008-11-08T10:36:44Z")
The BBC are pondering this question today: [Could Britain have a black PM?](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7714056.stm) A number of reasons why a British Obama is less likely, mentioned in that article: - Racism. Britain may be in some ways more integrated (no “black universities” here, for example), and the racism more subtle, but the glass ceilings are definitely there. - Smaller non-white population. Only 8% of the population. - Immigration much more recent. Only started in the late fifties. - Political system makes it harder for non-insiders to rise to premiership. The PM has to become leader of their party first, and that pretty much requires them to be a member of the cabinet or shadow cabinet, an established figure in the party. Somebody who’s only been an MP for one term would have almost no chance And Britain is one of the most progressive countries in Europe in this regard. I think we’re still a couple of decades behind the US in terms of having non-white people in middle class authority positions. Until that happens it will remain harder for them to rise through party ranks. As the article says, I don’t think the voters have a problem with it, it’s the establishment. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-western-nation-is-next-in-line-for-a-first-minority-prez-pm/471412/42 "2008-11-08T20:06:01Z")
My guess would be that Canada’s first “minority” party leader or prime minister would be Indo-Canadian. Perhaps in my lifetime. The first \*Aboriginal \*prime minister would be amazing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-western-nation-is-next-in-line-for-a-first-minority-prez-pm/471412/43 "2008-11-08T20:21:25Z")
I really think [Sir James Douglas KCB](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Douglas_(Governor)), Governor of Vancouver Island and British Columbia, prior to Canada’s cofederation in 1867, deserves mention in this thread though he was appointed. Yet he was very popular. > [@](#): > > When his service to the Empire ended, Queen Victoria increased his position in the Order of the Bath to Knight Commander. Upon his retirement Douglas was honoured with banquets both in Victoria and New Westminster, the capital of the mainland. He also received a thank you on paper signed by 900 people. … He died in Victoria of a heart attack on August 2, 1877 at the age of 73. His funeral procession was possibly the largest in the history of B.C. and he was interred in the Ross Bay Cemetery. He was a governor with black African ancestry while America held blacks in slavery. ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-western-nation-is-next-in-line-for-a-first-minority-prez-pm/471412/44 "2008-11-08T21:35:30Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Well! Hola **Estilicon**! > > Nice to see you again! > > Even though indians are the majority in Bolivia it was only recently that Evo Morales became president, you can guess who the elite was from colonial times. Hola Gigobuster, es bueno estar de vuelta pero - te aclaro - ,en realidad nunca me fuí (ahora “lurkeo”) Bolivia is a complicated case. You can´t think of Bolivia as a single political entity: the hills and the plains are really two different countries. It’s similar to what happens in several countries in Europe and it’s a concept that an american, or an argentinan, can’t understand. Luckily. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-western-nation-is-next-in-line-for-a-first-minority-prez-pm/471412.md?page=2)