There have been many atheists who have participated in politics or law. The is a list of atheists in politics and law. Living persons in this list are people whose atheism is relevant to their notable activities or public life, and who have publicly identified themselves as atheists.
New Zealand
Norman Douglas (1910–1985): Labour Party politician.
Sir Dove-Myer Robinson (1901–1989): Politician, Mayor of Auckland from 1959–1965 and 1968–1980.
Edvard Brandes (1847–1931): Politician, critic and author, Minister of Finance 1909–1910 and 1913–1920.
Thorvald Stauning (1873–1943): Prime minister 1924–1926 and 1929–1942.
Vilhelm Buhl: Prime minister May–November 1942 and May–November 1945.
Hans Hedtoft: Prime minister 1947–1950 and 1953–55.
H. C. Hansen: Prime minister 1955–1960.
Jens Otto Krag: Prime minister 1962–1968 and 1971–1972.
Finland
Erkki Tuomioja: Politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs 2011-2015
Rosa Meriläinen: Politician and Author
Georges Clemenceau (1841–1929): Statesman, physician and journalist, prime minister of France 1906–1909 and 1917–1920. Led France during World War I and was one of the major proponents of the Treaty of Versailles.
Pierre Joseph Proudhon (1809–1865): Politician, mutualist philosopher and socialist. He was a member of the French Parliament, and he was the first person to call himself an "anarchist".
Gilbert Romme (1750–1795): Politician and mathematician who developed the French Republican Calendar.
François Hollande (1954–): President of France.
Martin Bormann (1900–1945): Personal secretary to Adolf Hitler.
Karl Marx (1818–1883): 19th-century philosopher, political economist, sociologist, political theorist, often called the father of communism.
Kurt Schumacher (1895–1952): Social democratic politician who served as chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany from 1946 and was the first Leader of the Opposition in the West German Bundestag from 1949 until his death.
Sahra Wagenknecht (1969–): Left-wing politician (Die Linke)
Alexis Tsipras (1974–): Leader of Syriza and Prime Minister of Greece since 26 January 2015.
Yanis Varoufakis (1961-): Minister of Finance from 27 January 2015 to 6 July 2015.
Ireland
Eamon Gilmore (1955–): Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs, and leader of the Labour Party.
Clare Daly (1968–): United Left Alliance, Teachta Dála
Jim Kemmy (1936–1997): Socialist politician.
Ivana Bacik (1968–): Senator and Deputy Leader of the Seanad
Proinsias De Rossa (1940–): Politician, former President of the Workers' Party, leader of Democratic Left, and later a senior member of the Labour Party.
Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington (1877–1946): Suffragist and nationalist.
Owen Sheehy-Skeffington (1909–1970): University lecturer and Senator.
William Thompson (1775–1833): Socialist and economist.
Joe Higgins (1949–): Socialist Party politician. In the 2011 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin West constituency, having previously served in that capacity from 1997–2007.[1] He was also a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency from 2009 to 2011, the first Socialist Party MEP.
Giorgio Napolitano (1925–): Politician, 11th President of Italy.
Sandro Pertini (1896–1990): Politician, 7th President of Italy.
Giuseppe Saragat (1898–1988): Politician, 5th President of Italy.
Massimo D'Alema (1949–): Politician, 53rd Prime Minister 1998–2000, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister in the Prodi II Cabinet 2006–2008.
Giuliano Ferrara (1952–): Politician, journalist, and occasional talk show host.
Nilde Iotti (1920–1999): Politician, the first woman to become president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies for three consecutive legislatures 1979–1992.
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945): Fascist dictator of Italy.
Pietro Nenni (1891–1980): Politician, the leader of Italian Socialist Party 1931–1945 and 1949–1963, Deputy Prime Minister (Moro I, II and III cabinet), Minister of Foreign Affairs (De Gasperi II Cabinet, Rumor I Cabinet)
Palmiro Togliatti (1893–1964): Politician, the leader of Italian Communist Party from 1927 to his death in 1964.
Emma Bonino (1948–): Politician, European Commissioner 1995–1999, Minister of Foreign Trade and European Affairs 2006–2008, Deputy Speaker of Italian Senate 2008–2013 and Minister of Foreign Affairs 2013–.
The Netherlands
Ayaan Hirsi Ali (1969–): Somali-Dutch feminist and atheist activist, writer and politician who is known for her views critical of Islam, practices of circumcision and female genital cutting.
Ronald Plasterk (1957–): Politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and former molecular geneticist. He is Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Rutte II and was previously Minister of Education, Culture and Science from February 22, 2007 until February 23, 2010 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV.
Diederik Samsom (1971–): Member of the Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid) and he has been an MP since January 30, 2003.
Poland
Władysław Gomułka (1905–1982): Communist leader.
Aleksander Kwaśniewski (1954–): Former President of Poland (1995–2005).
Zbigniew Religa (1938–2009): Prominent cardiac surgeon, pioneer in human heart transplantation and a Minister of Health of the Republic of Poland.
Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz (1950-): Former Prime Minister of Poland (1996-1997)
Gabriel Narutowicz (1865-1922) : 1st President of Poland (1922).
Józef Piłsudski (1867-1935): Chief of State (1918-1922) and Prime Minister of Poland (1926-1928) and 1930.
Nicolae Ceaușescu (1918-1989): Romanian communist leader and head of state from 1967 to 1989.
Remus Cernea (1974–): Activist against discrimination based on faith and religion, an advocate of the separation of church and state.
Ion Iliescu (1930–): President from 1990 until 1996, and from 2000 until 2004.
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (1901–1965): First communist leader of Romania from 1947 until his death in 1965.
Santiago Casares Quiroga (1884–1950): Politician, Prime Minister of Spain from May 13 to July 19, 1936.
Olof Palme (1927–1986): Politician. He was a two-term Prime Minister of Sweden, heading a Privy Council Government from 1969 to 1976 and a cabinet government from 1982 until his death.
Bengt Westerberg (1943–): Leader of the Liberal People's Party from 1983 to 1995. Minister for Social Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister from 1991 to 1994. Currently holds office as the Deputy President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, Switzerland.
Guy Aldred (1886–1963): English anarchist communist and a prominent member of the Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation.
William Crawford Anderson (1877–1919): British socialist politician, a founder member of the Union of Democratic Control.
Edward Aveling (1849–1898): English Marxist activist and partner of Karl Marx's daughter Eleanor.
Bessie Braddock JP (1899–1970): British Labour politician, vice-chairman of the party in 1968.
Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891): Liberal politician and one of the most famous English atheists of the 19th century.
James Callaghan KG, PC (1912–2005): British politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and the only person to have served in all four of the Great Offices of State.
Alastair Campbell (1957–): Director of Communications and Strategy for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2003.
Michael Cashman (1950–): British actor turned Labour politician, a former Member of the European Parliament (1999–2014).
Colin Challen (1953–): British Labour politician, Member of Parliament (2001–2010).
Charles Clarke (1950–): British Labour Party politician, a Member of Parliament since 1997 and former Home Secretary.
Nick Clegg (1967–): former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Lord President of the Council (with special responsibility for political and constitutional reform), and the British Liberal Democrat Leader from 2007 to 2015.
Robin Cook (1946–2005): Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs of the UK (1997–2001), whose funeral service was held in the High Kirk of Scotland, where he was described as a "Presbyterian atheist. "
Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai (1940–): British economist, writer and Labour politician.
Donald Dewar (1937–2000): British Politician and Scottish first minister, from May 1999 until his sudden death in October 2000
Frank Dobson (1940–): British Labour politician and member of Parliament for Holborn and St. Pancras.
Jack Dormand (1919–2003): British educationist and Labour politician.
Herbert Fisher OM (1865–1940): English historian, educator, and Liberal politician.
Donald Findlay QC (1951–): Senior Scottish advocate and Queen's Counsel.
Shreela Flather, Baroness Flather (1934–): British Conservative peer in the House of Lords, the first Asian woman to receive a peerage.
Michael Foot (1913–2010): British politician and writer, leader of the Labour Party 1980–1983.
Sir George Taubman Goldie (1846–1925): Manx administrator who, as founder of the Royal Niger Company, played a major role in the founding of Nigeria.
Evan Harris (1965–): British Liberal Democrat politician and former MP.
Roy Hattersley PC (1932–): British Labour Party politician, author and journalist, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party 1983–1992.
Douglas Houghton PC CH (1898–1996): British Labour politician.
Robert Hughes, Baron Hughes of Woodside (1932–): British Labour politician.
Tommy Jackson (1879–1955): English founder of the Socialist Party of Great Britain and later the Communist Party of Great Britain.
Joel Joffe, Baron Joffe CBE (1932–): South Africa-born British Labour peer in the House of Lords.
Oona King, Baroness King of Bow (1967–): Labour peer in the House of Lords, former MP for Bethnal Green and Bow (1997–2005).
Neil Kinnock PC (1942–): British Labour politician, Leader of the Opposition and Labour Party leader 1983–1992.
Ken Livingstone (1945–): Mayor of London 2000-08.
Gus Macdonald, Baron Macdonald of Tradeston CBE, PC (1940–): British Labour politician.
John Maxton, Baron Maxton (1936–): Scottish politician, MP and now member of the House of Lords.
David Miliband (1965–): British Labour politician, Foreign Secretary from 2007 to 2010.
Ed Miliband (1969–): British Labour politician, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2010 to 2015.
John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn OM, PC (1838–1923): British Liberal statesman, writer and newspaper editor.
Mo Mowlam (1949–2005): Former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Elaine Murphy, Baroness Murphy (1949–2005): British politician and a member of the House of Lords, and a doctor and academic, formerly Professor of Psychiatry of Old Age at Guy's Hospital.
Marion Phillips (1881–1932): Australia-born Labour Party politician and British Member of Parliament.
Phil Piratin (1907–1995): British member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) and one of their few Members of Parliament.
Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel: Liberal Party Leader 1931–1935.
Phil Sawford (1950–): British politician and former Member of Parliament for Kettering.
Brian Sedgemore (1937–): former left-wing British Labour Party politician.
Clare Short (1946–): British politician, former Labour Secretary of State for International Development.
Dennis Skinner (1932–): British politician, who has been the Labour Member of Parliament for Bolsover since 1970.
Peter Tatchell, Australian-born British human rights activist
Phillip Whitehead (1937–2005): British Labour politician, television producer and writer.
Gaudenz Canova (1887–1962): Swiss lawyer and Social Democratic member of the National Council of Switzerland from Graubünden (Grisons).
Dimitris Christofias (1946–): Greek Cypriot politician, President of Cyprus 2008–2013.
Vaso Čubrilović (1897–1990): Bosnian student, a conspirator in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.
Elio Di Rupo (1951–): Belgian politician, social democratic Belgian prime minister between 2011 and 2014, describes himself as an atheist, rationalist and Freemason.
Theodor Herzl (1860–1904): Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist and founder of modern political Zionism.
Enver Hoxha (1908–1985): Communist ruler who declared Albania the first atheist state, and who has been identified as an "arch-atheist. "
Zoran Janković (1953–): Slovenian businessman, former mayor of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, and a deputy.
Alexander Lukashenko (1954–): President of Belarus, describes himself as "an Orthodox atheist. "
Slobodan Milošević (1941–2006): Serbian politician, former President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia.
Ivica Račan (1944–2007): Prime Minister of Croatia (2000–2003), former Croatian leftist politician who led the Social Democratic Party of Croatia between 1989 up to 2007. He was also the last leader and democratic transformer of the League of Communists of Croatia.
Hedi Stadlen (1916–2004): Austrian Jewish political activist, philosopher and musicologist.
Veton Surroi (1961–): Kosovo Albanian publicist and politician.
Erkki Tuomioja (1946–): Finnish politician, Minister for Foreign Affairs 2000–2007 and 2011–2015.
Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980) 1st President of Yugoslavia
Zoran Milanović (1966–): Prime Minister of Croatia
Miloš Zeman (1944–): President of the Czech Republic
Gilles Duceppe (b. 1947): Politician, Leader of the Opposition twice from 1996 to 1997 and Leader of the Bloc Québécois from 1997 to 2011.
Dale Jackaman (b. 1956): Politician.
Pauline Marois (b. 1949): Premier of Quebec from 2012 to 2014, leader of Parti Québécois from 2007 to 2014.
Françoise David (b. 1948): Spokesperson and MNA for Quebec Solidaire.
Carlos A. Madrazo (1915–1969): politician
Narciso Bassols (1897–1959) politician
Lázaro Cárdenas (1895–1970) former president of Mexico
Venustiano Carranza (1859–1920): former President of Mexico
Plutarco Elías Calles (1877–1945): former President of Mexico
Tomás Garrido Canabal (1891–1943): politician
Benito Juarez (1806–1872): former President of Mexico
Alvaro Obregon (1880–1928): former President of Mexico
Allahpundit (b. 1972): anonymous blogger and the senior editor for the conservative commentary website, Hot Air
Rocky Anderson (b. 1951): 2012 Justice Party Presidential Candidate and former mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah
Charles T. Beaird (1922–2006): Republican Party member and newspaper publisher.
Cecil Bothwell (b. 1950): Asheville, North Carolina city council member, who was nearly denied his position because of his atheism.
Lori Lipman Brown (b. 1958): Politician, lobbyist, lawyer, educator, and social worker supporter, Nevada state senator from 1992 to 1994.
Douglas Campbell (b. 1959): Atheist advocate and member of the Green Party of Michigan and of the Godless Americans Political Action Committee. Co-founder, Michigan Godless Americans Political Action Committee. Green Party candidate for governor of Michigan in both 2002 and 2006.
Ernie Chambers (b. 1937): member of the Nebraska Legislature and civil rights activist.
Clarence Darrow (1857–1938): Lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, best known for defending John T. Scopes in the so-called Monkey Trial.
Sean Faircloth (b. circa 1960): Attorney, served five terms in the Maine Legislature including appointments on the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees.
Barney Frank (b. 1940): U.S. Representative (1981–2013) (D-MA).
Thomas Gore (1870–1949): United States Senator (D-OK), from 1907 until 1921 and from 1931 until 1937.
Vincent Hallinan (1896–1992): Lawyer who ran for president of the United States in 1952, the third highest polling candidate in the election.
Heather Mac Donald (b. 1956): Writer and lawyer, member of the Manhattan Institute and author of The Burden of Bad Ideas: How Modern Intellectuals Misshape Our Society.
Culbert Olson (1876–1962): Politician and Governor of California from 1939 to 1943.
Kyrsten Sinema (b. 1976): U.S. Representative (D-AZ), Member of the Arizona Senate (2011–2012), Member of the Arizona House of Representatives (2005–2011).
Pete Stark (b. 1931): U.S. Representative (1973–2013) (D-CA), the first openly atheist member of Congress.
Eddie Tabash: Lawyer and atheist activist and debater.
Jesse Ventura (b. 1951): Former Governor of Minnesota, veteran, wrestler, actor, and talk show host.
George Will (b. 1941): newspaper columnist and political commentator
Alan Wolfe (b. 1951): Political scientist and sociologist, director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life.
Carmen Argibay (1939–2014): Lawyer, a member of the Argentine Supreme Court of Justice, the first woman to be nominated for the Court by a democratic government in Argentina.
Janet Jagan (1920–2009): American-born socialist politician, Prime Minister and then President of Guyana.
José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (1766–1840): Dictator of Paraguay between 1814 and 1840. One of the first absolute rulers identifying as an atheist.
José Mujica (b.1935): Politician and President of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015.
List of atheists in politics and law Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
