List of physically disabled politicians

The following is a list of politicians who hold or held office while having a physical disability.

AfghanistanEdit

AlgeriaEdit

ArgentinaEdit

ArmeniaEdit

AustraliaEdit

Federal
  • Graham Edwards, member of the House of Representatives (lost both legs during the Vietnam War)
  • John Hyde, member of the House of Representatives (lost an arm in a farming accident)
  • George Maxwell, member of the House of Representatives (deteriorating eyesight, eventually went blind)
  • Gregor McGregor, senator for South Australia (deteriorating eyesight, eventually went blind)
  • Alby Schultz, member of the House of Representatives (blind in one eye after an accident with hydrochloric acid)
  • Jordon Steele-John, senator for Western Australia (cerebral palsy, wheelchair user)
State

AustriaEdit

BrazilEdit

CambodiaEdit

CanadaEdit

ColombiaEdit

Czech RepublicEdit

Dominican RepublicEdit

EcuadorEdit

  • Lenín Moreno, former President (2017–2021) and former Vice President (2007–2013) (paraplegic)[3]

EstoniaEdit

FijiEdit

  • Iliesa Delana, member of Parliament and Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports (since 2014); Paralympic gold medallist (leg amputee due to an accident as a child)

FranceEdit

GabonEdit

GermanyEdit

GibraltarEdit

HungaryEdit

  • Béla II, King of Hungary (1131–1141) (blinded by his father's political opponents in 1113)
  • Ferenc Hirt, Member of Parliament for Tamási (2006–2018) (wheelchair user since 1988 due to a car accident)
  • Katalin Szili, Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary (lost hand from undisposed grenade explosion at age 12)[7]

IndiaEdit

IndonesiaEdit

IranEdit

IrelandEdit

IsraelEdit

JamaicaEdit

JapanEdit

Kingdom of JerusalemEdit

MalaysiaEdit

  • Ras Adiba Radzi, current member of senator (full-time wheelchair user, due to car accident on 15 November 1995, with her veterba was injured)[9]
  • Karpal Singh, member of parliament for Bukit Gelugor (a full-time wheelchair user, due to car accident, with neurological problems in his right arm)[10]

MexicoEdit

New ZealandEdit

  • Adam Adamson, Mayor of Invercargill (born without right hand)
  • Leon Götz, MP 1949–1963 (lost right arm and eye during the First World War)
  • Norman Jones, MP 1975–1987 (leg amputee; war wound during Second World War)
  • John A. Lee, MP 1922–1943 (arm amputee; war wound during the First World War)[11]
  • Mojo Mathers, MP 2011–2017 (born deaf)
  • Clutha McKenzie, MP 1921–1922 (blinded at Gallipoli during the First World War)
  • Margaret Wilson, MP 1999–2008 (leg amputee)

NorwayEdit

PhilippinesEdit

PolandEdit

Republic of VeniceEdit

Roman EmpireEdit

  • Claudius, 4th Roman emperor 41-54 (had problems walking)[14]
  • Justinian II, Byzantine emperor 685-695, 705-711. Known as Rhinotmetos "the Slit-Nosed." Had his nose mutilated after his first deposition, later restored with gold. Although mutilation was a common tactic to disable deposed Byzantine emperors so that they couldn't return to the throne again, Justinian II is unique in that he was able to return to power in his second reign while being mutilated, causing later emperors to be blinded instead.

RomaniaEdit

RussiaEdit

San MarinoEdit

Solomon IslandsEdit

  • Martin Magga, Minister for Health (became ill and needed to use a wheelchair in 2009 while serving); resigned from the Cabinet but retained his seat in Parliament in the 2010 general election; served as MP, in a wheelchair, until his death in 2014

SpainEdit

  • Pablo Echenique, member of the Congress of Deputies (wheelchair user due to spinal muscular atrophy)
  • Charles II of Spain, ruled 1665-1700, described by historians Will and Ariel Durant as "short, lame, epileptic, senile and completely bald before 35, always on the verge of death but repeatedly baffling Christendom by continuing to live." An autopsy reported that his "heart was the size of a peppercorn; his lungs corroded; his intestines rotten and gangrenous; he had a single testicle, black as coal, and his head was full of water."

SyriaEdit

Sri LankaEdit

  • Senarath Attanayake, Member of Uva Provincial Council; first elected representative with a disability in Sri Lanka; first person with a disability to hold ministerial portfolios (Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Land and Forestry) and to become an Acting Chief Minister of a Province; first person with a disability to become a lawyer in Sri Lanka (full-time wheelchair user due to polio infection at the age of two)

SwedenEdit

ThailandEdit

  • Rama IX, King of Thailand 1946-2016 (blind in one eye for most of his reign following a road accident)

Timurid EmpireEdit

  • Timur, Amir of the Timurid Empire 1370-1405, injured by two arrow wounds to his right leg and arm, rendering hem unusable, also known as "Timur the Lame," or Tamerlane.

TurkeyEdit

  • Deniz Baykal, former leader of the CHP, member of the house of councils. (paralyzed)

UkraineEdit

United KingdomEdit

United StatesEdit

ReferencesEdit

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